If you’ve been waiting for a more powerful, high-performance version of the Toyota HiLux to battle the Ford Ranger Raptor, we have some bad news.

It’s not going to happen. At least not for a while…

The man in charge of Toyota’s GR performance division, Tomoya Takahashi, is currently visiting Australia and during a media round-table, Wheels asked about the prospect of a flagship Toyota HiLux GR to sit above the current HiLux GR Sport.

Just like AMG and BMW M, which have ‘sport’ sub brands that sit beneath faster ‘full fat’ performance models, the 165kW/550Nm HiLux GR Sport is positioned a rung below the more hardcore, 292kW/583Nm Ford Ranger Raptor.

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But while that might seem to leave room to add an even faster, more powerful version of the HiLux, Takahashi firmly rejected the idea.

“Maybe a GR special car? No,” he said. “Only GR Sports.”

For absolute clarity we asked again if a rival for the Ranger Raptor might come in the future but the response was a shaking head, along with “No”.

Pretty unequivocal, then, from the man who makes the key decisions — Takahashi is GR Company President — but there’s also no doubt that the Ranger Raptor currently gives Ford a key advantage here in Australia.

The Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger are bitter rivals on the Aussie sales charts, often swapping places to be the nation’s best-selling vehicle. But while both dual-cab utes shift serious metal each month, the Raptor currently has the lucrative high-performance market all to itself.

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Despite a lofty price tag of $90,440 Raptor sales are so strong that Ford is reluctant to share exactly how many it sells.

We do know more than 10,000 units of the first-generation Raptor found homes in Australia, while the second-gen ute had more than 5000 pre-sales before it even hit showrooms. Ford sells the Aussie-developed Raptor to key markets around the globe including the United Kingdom, South Africa and Thailand.

“Ford Australia is thrilled at the customer response to the current generation Ranger Raptor since its launch in 2022,” a Ford spokesperson told Wheels.

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Popularity of the Ranger Raptor speaks for itself, and we are proud of how it has pushed new frontiers in terms of performance in the mid-size ute segment.

The Ranger Raptor is not only a local success story, being engineered and designed by Australians for Australians, but a global one as well being sold on every continent bar Antarctica.”

The good news is that while a full-blown GR version of the HiLux seems off the cards, Takahashi did say Toyota’s fleet of SUVs are ripe to receive the go-fast treatment.

The second bite of the Chery in Australia is now onto its third model, as the Chinese brand steps into the large-SUV segment with its Tiggo 8 Pro Max.

Sounding more like a supersized smartphone than an upper-sized family vehicle, the Tiggo 8 joins the Tiggo 7 midsized SUV and Omoda 5 small car. And like those cars, it seeks to banish memories of Chery’s last time out locally with the cheap but not particularly cheerful J1 hatch.

Chinese car makers have come a long way in the past decade or so, and are now seemingly falling over themselves to enter the Australian market – either as official subsidiaries or via importers.

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Chery Australia, which falls under the former category after previously being imported by Ateco, is in its first full year back and has had a strong start to 2024 with nearly 2500 deliveries to the end of April.

Tiggo is more SUV sub-brand than model name, and more models are set to come to Australia – both smaller (Tiggo 4) and even larger (Tiggo 9).

JUMP AHEAD

• Pricing and features
• Interior comfort and practicality, and boot space
• On the road
• First verdict
• Specifications

Pricing and features

There’s nothing like sharp pricing as a method of luring curious customers to your relatively new brand, so Chery Australia has priced its large seven-seater SUV more like a midsized five-seater SUV.

Where the majority of large SUVs are found above $50,000, the Tiggo 8 Urban base model’s $41,990 drive-away price stands out as the equivalent of about $38,990 RRP.

The Urban’s list of standard features doesn’t read like a base model, either: Heated and ventilated front seats, Sony eight-speaker audio, 18-inch alloy wheels, twin 12.3-inch digital dashboard screens, surround-view camera, ambient cabin lighting, and wireless phone charging.

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Key extras for the $43,990 drive-away Elite are automatic tailgate operation, built-in dashcam, third-row air vents (with fan-speed control), and a retractable cargo blind.

The $47,990 drive-away Ultimate upgrades the drivetrain from front-wheel drive to all-wheel drive, switches the wheels to bigger 19s, and embellishes the interior with a panoramic sunroof (with electric blind and partial opening), a 10-speaker Sony system, privacy glass, and even a fragrance system. The artificial-leather upholstery is also offered in brown rather than just black.

There are two cheaper seven-seater SUVs in Australia – LDV’s D90 costs $38,937 drive-away while Mahindra’s XUV700 is even more affordable at $36,990 drive-away.

It’s also worth noting the 4.7-metre Tiggo 8 is on the smaller scale of the large-SUV segment – similar to the related Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, as well as the XUV700. The D90 is just over five metres long.

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Interior comfort and practicality, and boot space

You might consider the Tiggo 8 as simply a long-wheelbase, seven-seat version of the Tiggo 7, such is the minimal difference between the front cabin designs of the two SUVs.

They even share the same T1X platform, and while the Tiggo 8 222mm longer overall the widths are all but identical.

This includes the dual 12.3-inch digital screens comprising infotainment and driver displays, which aren’t dissimilar to the arrangement in Kia models and work just as effectively in terms of presentation and logicality.

The driver cluster layout can also be configured to prioritise a nav map just like VW’s Virtual Cockpit.

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A brief test of the ‘Hello Chery’ voice command system – requesting repeated opening/closing of the panoramic roof (in the Ultimate) suggested it’s good at ‘listening’.

As with the Tiggo 7, a flying bridge centre console features understorage for small bags/items, cupholders, cubby bin, and rubber (sideways) phone charging pad, plus USB-A and USB-C charging points but also wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality.

A bonus over the Tiggo 7 is that even in the base Tiggo 8 Urban, the front seats come with ventilation as well as heating.

Door pockets are on the narrow side though included shaping for bottles. Above those, the wood/plastic surround section for the door handle and round audio speaker take a fair bit of inspiration from Mercedes-Benz interiors – just missing seat-adjustment controls to complete the (imitation) picture. The speaker doesn’t belong to a Burmester system despite its similarly spirally design.

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Shortcuts for heating/ventilation below the infotainment display are welcome, if not always easy to see on a sunny day. The tactility of the steering wheel buttons/toggles isn’t great – lacking a more definitive détente to confirm you’ve made an adjustment.

The wide-angle rear-view mirror is also a little weird.

In the second row, there’s heaps of legroom with the bench in its rearmost position, allowing it to be pulled forward (60-40 arrangement) as necessary to create more knee space for third-row occupants.

Setting the front passenger and second-row position immediately behind for sufficient legroom for an average-sized adult, we found a 5ft 8in occupant can sit comfortably enough in the last row for shorter trips. Anyone much taller will find headroom limited.

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Tilt-slide third-row access is only on the driver’s side.

With the third-row seats up, luggage capacity is limited to small holdalls or a few shopping bags.

They fold down for proper boot space, if not that generous for the segment at 479 litres. The seats don’t lie completely flat and in the process of folding down tend to lift up the small, rearmost boot-floor section that needs to be tidied up.

The cargo blind position is also relatively low, reducing the amount of luggage/contents that can be covered.

A spare wheel is mounted beneath the rear of the vehicle.

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On the road

Such is the obvious relationship between Chery’s Tiggo SUVs in components and electronics, it’s no surprise that the Tiggo 8 exhibits some similarly annoying active-safety habits.

Although the unintrusive lane-keep assist system is something Hyundai and Kia in particular could learn from, other areas are less successful.

As with the Tiggo 7, the adaptive cruise and lane-centring assist combine to make the steering thick and heavy, making it difficult for the driver to make accurate small inputs to compensate for cambers and crosswinds. The adaptive cruise is also overly reactive, slowing too suddenly and then accelerating a touch too aggressively.

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The driver-attention monitoring system could also do with its own monitoring for major improvement.

On the day 2 return drive, it became a running joke with my passenger how many times the system flashed ‘You are distracted’ or ‘You have been distracted for a long time’ on the driver cluster – despite my attention clearly being paid to driving safely, just not straight ahead every second.

Safe driving requires a driver to check the rear-view mirror, side-mirror and for blind spots on a regular basis, but Chery’s chastising monitor behind the steering wheel doesn’t seem to understand this.

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The one saving grace is that Chery has removed the beep that had accompanied the alerts on our Tiggo 7 launch drive, so the annoyance level was lower.

Chery says it had discovered there was no regulatory requirement for the beep so had the software modified. Thank you, Chery Australia!

It says it also continues to work on improving its electronic systems in Australia, so fingers crossed for further improvements.

The company is also investigating local suspension tuning and has had engineers out from China to understand first-hand the huge challenge presented by Australia’s remarkably varied road quality.

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And the Tiggo 8’s ride quality is very much surface dependent. Smooth or mostly even and the large Chery SUV makes supple progress. Bumpy, and the damping struggles to keep the vehicle body even, or, over rougher bitumen, the ride becomes restless.

The steering is decent, though. A middling response that’s neither direct nor slow, it’s pleasingly smooth through its turns – if with mixed on-centre accuracy: good when paired with the bigger-wheeled, AWD Ultimate, more vague on the 18s/FWD combo of the Urban/Elite.

This is not a large SUV that encourages drivers to tackle a tourist road with gusto. While there was good grip from the ?/ tyres on the Ultimate, the chassis isn’t as enthusiastic – serving up only gradual understeer if pushed. There’s also a numb feel to the brake pedal.

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This is unlikely, however, to be a deal-breaker for the Tiggo 8’s budget-conscious target market.

They’ll also no doubt appreciate the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine. Producing 180kW and 375Nm, the 8’s outputs are up by a good amount over the 137kW/275Nm of the Tiggo 7’s 1.6-litre turbo petrol.

That ensures the bigger, heavier Tiggo 8, while not exactly brisk, provides reasonably good performance – at its best in the lighter, front-drive models.

The engine is linked to a seven-speed dual-clutch that can stumble at lower speeds, delaying acceleration, but otherwise promptly goes up and down the gears with enough smarts that the driver isn’t desperate to go DIY.

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Not that they’re encouraged to, as the manual mode engaged by holding a button on the side of the gearlever is slow to respond to shift commands. No paddle-levers are offered in any trim grade.

Official combined fuel consumption is 8.1L/100km for the FWD Tiggo 8 or 8.7L/100km for the AWD. That’s in the ballpark for turbo petrols in the segment, though, for now, there’s no frugal diesel or hybrid alternative for now to rival such powertrains available in the likes of the Kia Sorento and Toyota Kluger, or new petrol-electric Hyundai Santa Fe (launching in late May). The Chery also recommends premium unleaded, adding additional cost at the bowser.

A 1300kg braked towing capacity is also down on the 2000kg more common in the segment.

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First verdict

As is the case with the midsize Tiggo 7, the Tiggo 8 is well down the list in its category for refined and/or engaging road manners.

It’s also good to hear Chery Australia will continue its efforts to improve the driver aids in its vehicles, with the driver monitoring and adaptive/lane-centring systems worthy of particular attention.

That’s not to suggest the driving experience lacks any likeable qualities, the drivetrain – occasionally hesitant auto aside – stepping up as one of the more pleasing aspects.

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The cabin also succeeds on presentation, infotainment and space, the latter only let down by a smaller-than-average boot capacity.

This latest large-SUV offering’s most compelling selling point, though, is impressive value in terms of how much you get for you money. The Tiggo 8 is even more of a bargain than the smaller Tiggo 7.

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The 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace seven-seat SUV has received a price cut.

Volkswagen Australia has reduced $2000 to $2500 from the list price of the long-wheelbase, Mexican-built Tiguan Allspace, allowing for price parity with the standard-wheelbase, German-built Tiguan five-seater ahead of new-generation versions due here in 2025.

The third-generation Tiguan was unveiled last September and will arrive in Australia between April and June 2025, while the Tiguan Allspace’s successor will be the Tayron due in local showrooms towards the end of next year.

Until it is replaced by the Tayron – which will continue to be a larger version of the Tiguan – the Tiguan Allspace will be more affordable than the new Tiguan when it arrives with expected price rises.

Prices for the 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan and 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace start from $43,990 before on-road costs for the front-wheel-drive 110TSI Life and extend to $60,590 plus on-roads for the all-wheel-drive 162TSI R-Line.

As detailed here, the diesel-powerful 147TDI Elegance and 147TDI R-Line were dropped from the Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace line-ups for Model Year 2024 – while an electric tailgate, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert have returned to the 162TSI Elegance and 162TSI R-Line.

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“Now, while there’s stock of both [Tiguan or Tiguan Allspace], it’s a simply a case of whether you personally prefer seven seats or a huge storage area or a slightly smaller and more responsive vehicle,” said Volkswagen Australia’s marketing communications manager Michelle Rowney.

The Volkswagen Tayron – expected to debut in mid-2024 – is tipped to grow in every dimension compared to the Tiguan Allspace, placing it closer to established seven-seat rivals such as the Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, Mazda CX-80, and related Skoda Kodiaq.

For everything you need to know about the Tiguan Allspace’s successor, click on the featured article below:

2024 Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace pricing

JUMP AHEAD

• Is the 2024 BYD Seal U worth my attention?
• What powers the Seal U… sorry, Sealion 6?
• How does it drive?
• What about inside?
• Is it worth waiting for the 2024 BYD Sealion 6?

Is the 2024 BYD Seal U – sorry, Sealion 6 – worth my attention?

It certainly is. Not least because of its name change for Aussie shores, where European buyers get a car more closely linked to the fully electric Seal sedan. BYD Australia wanted to avoid such confusion.

Of bigger signifcance is the fact this car is a plug-in hybrid. Left-hand-drive markets get an EV version, but for now there are no plans for RHD. Instead we gain yet another contender in the hybrid SUV sector – albeit one with a few sneaky tricks up its sleeve.

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What powers the Seal U… sorry, Sealion 6?

There are two configurations: a 1.5-litre non-turbo 4-cylinder engine pairs up with a single, 145kW electric motor for the 160kW front-wheel drive Sealion 6 Dynamic.

Meanwhile the Sealion 6 Premium straps a perkier 1.5-litre turbo to an e-motor at each axle (150kW at the front, 120 at the rear) for a 238kW total output and 0-100km/h in 5.9secs – a whole three seconds quicker than the Dynamic while its 180km/h top speed is a smidge higher, too.

Both use an 18.3kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery assembled onto the frame of the car in a setup BYD calls ‘Blade Battery’.

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Besides its comic-book name it offers increased body stiffness, a lower floor to increase rear passenger legroom (often an EV bugbear) and improved thermal efficiency over more conventional rival battery setups.

It’ll charge on home AC power at up to 11kW and DC fast chargers at up to 18kW, with the latter yielding a 30-80 per cent top up in 35 minutes.

The Dynamic claims 80km of electric-only range and a startling 1.1l/100km fuel consumption with its powertrain fighting fittest; the heavier, more powerful Premium quotes 70km and 1.4l/100km. With a 60-litre fuel tank and you might squeeze out a total range of 1100km. Yowzers.

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How does it drive?

A lot like a single-speed EV. While the engine can provide direct propulsion to the wheels, its more prominent role is range extension while the motors take sole driving duty.

If the battery is topped up, you’ll sail along in complete hush – refinement is strong. If it’s down to 25 per cent charge – the minimum the car lets itself drop to – then the engine will frequently kick in, but it generally does so pretty quietly. Curiously, too; it moos away gently in the background at odds to your throttle input, as per a number of range-extender rivals.

The whole powertrain feels like it’s deliberately distancing itself from you – disconcerting at first, but if you don’t give two hoots about how sharply and precisely a car drives, then perhaps it’s a welcome distance.

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Much like sticking a ready-made dinner in the oven so you don’t get your hands dirty prepping anything.

Flicking through Eco, Normal or Sport modes will up the engine’s eagerness, but it’s a brisk and smooth car in all three. And there’s surprisingly little to tell between its two powertrain options, either – unless you’re accelerating and cornering hard (in which case a hybrid SUV probably isn’t for you) the gap between them is much larger on paper than in the real world.

This car’s lack of interest in keen driving is evident from the sat nav, which flags up ‘sharp bend ahead!’ warnings for gently sweeping curves that barely require a nudge of the overly light steering. The focus is on effortless progress, a parameter by which the Sealion 6 really delivers.

Ride quality is at the softer end of the scale, but repeated bumps on our Roman test route did agitate the damping a tad. Let’s give it a proper crack on Aussie tarmac for the full verdict.

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What about inside?

Measuring almost 4.8 metres, the Seal U is longer than many of its rivals – think Honda CR-V, Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage – though helpfully most of its supplement sits in the wheelbase, to the benefit of both its proportions and rear passenger space.

The back seat bench splits 60:40 with each section separately reclining – via a manual fabric pull strap – to allow some flexibility between passenger and luggage space.

Headroom is impressive front and back, despite the standard-fit panoramic sunroof, which pairs with expansive side windows for an airy, premium feel on board. Plush materials are used generously while harder-wearing plastics are well-concealed and mostly saved for the boot.

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Which does admittedly lag behind rivals a bit for luggage capacity; morphing from 425 litres seats up to 1,440 litres when they’re folded, it’s down about 20 per cent on a Tucson, Sportage or Qashqai to name just a few.

A Honda CR-V is notably roomier still. We recommend taking any bulky kids’ travel systems to the BYD showroom for a test run. Vehicle to load capacity does add a nice additional layer of practicality, though.

Tech is indeed a strong suit: the 15.6in rotating touchscreen flips between portrait and landscape format via a steering wheel button or a toggle on the screen itself.

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The latter is less distracting and more satisfying – it’s also your only choice if you opt to use the standard Apple CarPlay, for an almost comically large display compared to your phone.

Kudos to the screen for not incorporating your speed readout, too, saving it instead for a plain and simple head-up display and a row of nicely legible digital dials, which can also display an energy flow diagram should you wish to grasp what the powertrain is doing.

Or at least attempt to…

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Is it worth waiting for the 2024 BYD Sealion 6?

If comfort and value are top of your list, absolutely: this is vehemently not a fun or engaging car to drive, but it’s smooth and relaxing, caveats about its ride quality aside. And prices are punchy in the best kind of way, starting at $48,990 for the Dynamic FWD and rising to $52,990 for the Premium AWD.

Both get a tremendous amount of kit as standard: all the screen pixels you could ever wish for, six different phone charging ports, a pano roof, 19in alloys and abundant safety kit including a 360-degree parking system.

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Besides extra power and performance, the Premium’s main draw is its AWD ability with a handful of all-terrain modes (snow, sand and mud). Though we suspect most Sealion 6 buyers don’t have any great expeditions planned.

You’re not looking at a game changer, but you are looking at one of the best value hybrid SUVs on sale. A lengthier drive on Aussie roads will determine whether it’s one of the best mannered, too.

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The 2025 BMW M4 CS will arrive in Australia later this year with upgrades similar to the M3 CS.

Improvements for the M4 CS include carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) components, increased engine output, a sportier chassis setup, and design changes.

CS-specific revisions allow for a Nürburgring time of seven minutes and 21.989 seconds – seven seconds faster than the M4 Competition.

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BMW has allocated 50 examples to the local market, with customer deliveries set to commence between October and December 2024.

The CS engine features a sleeve-free, closed-deck construction, forged crankshaft, wire-arc sprayed iron bore coating, 3D-printed cylinder head core, and more rigid engine mounts.

This enables coolant duct routing that cannot be achieved using conventional metal casting methods.

The maximum power output for the M4 CS is 405kW – up 15kW over the M4 Competition xDrive – achieved by increasing boost to 2.1 bar and tweaking the ECU. Peak torque is 650Nm from 2750rpm to 5950rpm.

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Performance is improved over the M4 Competition, with standing starts to 100km/h and 200km/h in 3.4 seconds and 11.1 seconds, respectively.

Rolling acceleration is fierce, reflecting the substantial torque available throughout the rev range, with 80km/h to 120km/h in 2.6 seconds in 4th gear and 3.3 seconds in 5th. Top speed is electronically limited to 302km/h.

The exhaust system now features a titanium rear silencer. It has “racecar undertones” in Sport and Sport+ modes.

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Power is still transferred to the road by the M xDrive system. This uses an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch in the transfer case to distribute the engine’s power smoothly between the front and rear wheels.

The clutch’s oil supply has been optimised to ensure effective performance during track sessions. Drivers can switch off the DSC system altogether and also engage rear-wheel drive via a 2WD mode.

Forged alloys (19-inch front / 20-inch rear) are fitted as standard with track tyres (275/35 ZR19 front / 285/30 ZR20 rear) as standard fitment. High-performance road tyres are available as a no-cost option.

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CS-specific chassis tuning has been applied to the front strut brace, axle kinematics and amber, dampers, auxiliary springs and anti-roll bars.

The electromechanical steering with variable ratio is model-specific, and M Dynamic Mode pushes back the intervention points for the DSC system various stabilising measures.

Forged alloys (19-inch front / 20-inch rear) and track tyres (275/35 ZR19 front / 285/30 ZR20 rear)are standard, with high-performance road tyres available as a no-cost option.

The roof, bonnet, front splitter, front air intakes, exterior mirror caps, rear diffuser and Gurney-style rear spoiler are all made from CFRP on the CS.

A four-kilogram weight saving is also achieved with M Carbon bucket seats using CFRP for the seat cushion and backrest structures, and the titanium exhaust. Overall weight is down by around 20 kilograms compared to the M4 Competition.

The 2025 BMW M4 CS is priced from $254,900 before on-road costs – a $68,000 increase over the M4 Competition xDrive.

The 2024 Skoda Fabia Select will be added to the line-up to see a more affordable entry-level model offered for the first time in two years.

Priced at $31,900 drive-away, the Fabia Select will join the flagship Monte Carlo Edition 150 – which is $38,990 drive-away – expanding the range from a single model.

Scheduled to arrive in local showrooms in August, the statement from Skoda Australia also confirmed that a revised specification Fabia Monte Carlo will be announced ahead of the Select’s arrival.

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Skoda also confirmed it will introduce cost-conscious Select versions of its facelifted Kamiq in July, with the Scala and Karoq offered in Select trim levels the following month.

On the outside, the Fabia Select features 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, foglights and taillights.

Standard equipment includes keyless entry and engine start, an 8.25-inch centre touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, two USB-C ports as well as front and rear parking sensors.

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An 8-inch digital instrument cluster and leather-trimmed steering wheel are also standard fare, as well as height-adjustable front seats with lumbar support and the Fabia’s large 380-litre boot area.

Standard active safety features include autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, manual cruise control, and six airbags.

The current generation Fabia achieved a five-star ANCAP rating in 2022.

The Fabia Select will be powered by a 1.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 85kW/200Nm, using a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission to drive the front wheels.

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Skoda has offered only the Monte Carlo version in Australia since 2022 as sales of the city-car segment have declined considerably since the Volkswagen Polo-based Fabia nameplate was introduced to Australia in 2011.

That’s seen the demise of cars from the segment including the Ford Fiesta, which was axed in Europe with production ending in 2023 as Ford looked to its Puma SUV instead, while the Audi A1 – with which it shares its platform – will not be replaced when the current model reaches the end of its lifecycle.

Australian sales to the end of April 2024 saw the Fabia – in Monte Carlo spec only – post 145 sales, compared to 607 Mini Coopers and 571 Volkswagen Polos.

Suzuki has given its five-door Jimny the retro treatment that proved successful on its three-door baby 4WD in 2023.

The Jimny XL Heritage has been announced, featuring the same package of extras as last year’s three-door Heritage – inspired by the pint-sized off-roader’s “history from the 70s, 80s and 90s”.

The exterior adopts retro striping, ‘Jimny Heritage’ decal, and red mud flaps front and rear. Inside there’s a Limited-build badge, Heritage cargo tray, and an “exclusive Heritage pack” that is listed without details of what it includes.

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As with the three-door Heritage, the XL retro edition is offered with a manual gearbox and is based on the GLX – and carries a $1500 premium to be priced from $36,490, not including on-road charges or metallic paint.

More units are available, however. Where the Jimny Heritage was restricted to 300, the XL Heritage will have a 500-unit run.

Suzuki says the three-door Heritage sold out last year in just two days.

Five colour options comparise Ivory with Black roof (pictured), White, Jungle Green, Bluish Black, and Granite Grey.

First deliveries will take place between late June and early August, added Suzuki.

Here are the latest cars from Grays that have appeared on our radar.

1980 Nissan 280ZX Automatic Coupe

Sure, it’s not the same as the beloved Nissan 240Z classic, but this 280ZX is still worth a look if you’re a fan of the ol’ Zeds.

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2000 Subaru Impreza WRX ‘Classic’

The original V8 humbler of the 2000s could certainly warrant a look, especially in this “Classic” guise. The ad for this original Impreza WRX indicates that this is one of only 152 examples brought to Australia.

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2008 FPV GT FG Automatic Sedan

Eagle-eyed fans of the Ford Performance V8’s might want to scan their eyes over this relatively low-kilometre (50,000km) FPV GT from 2008.

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2005 Maserati Gransport coupe

For something a little more exotic comes this Maserati Gransport from 2005.

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2013 Audi A6 allroad quattro

A little more practical than the example above, this A6 allroad quattro supplies all the needs of a family in a form that isn’t like your typical SUV.

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2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport

And for your typical SUV fix, this Land Rover Discovery Sport would fit that need.

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Take a look at Grays’ entire listings here [↗]

A Dependable Family Friend

What makes a car special? For some, it’s performance, design, comfort, or handling – some may argue that this 1998 HiLux SR5 is devoid of all the aforementioned.

However, for me, this car represents something far more important. This RZN169R Hilux SR5 4WD – in 2.7-litre petrol guise and finished in Opal Metallic Green over a Moon Mist interior – was purchased brand new from Phil McCarroll Toyota, by my mum, in late 1998.

Due to the obscure colour, this HiLux was sourced from Bathurst – the only one available in Australia at the time – and had an interesting life ahead.

In 2001, the HiLux brought me home for the first time, as a newborn baby. This is where my love for cars began. In the course of the next two decades, the HiLux took me on my first holiday…

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…to my first day of pre-school…

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…and to my first day of primary school.

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As a chronically unwell child, this HiLux took me to countless hospital appointments, late-night admissions and emergencies, and brought me home after life-saving surgery. In some ways, I owe my life to this car.

Many milestones with this car followed, including learning to drive.

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The HiLux was there for the teenage ritual of passing my red P plate test (first try!)…

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…and through to my last day of high school, the final educational milestone for this HiLux.

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A lifetime of memories with this car had cemented its sentimental value within me, there was absolutely no way I would part with it.

By this point, I’m sure that my love for this car has become evident, having it by my side through milestone events, learning to drive, graduating from school, and overcoming serious health challenges.

This car also provides me with a tangible connection to memories of family members and friends who have passed on, which is special and cannot be fabricated or replicated.

This car has been with me through thick and thin, and with a particular characteristic that gave me the feeling that it possesses a ‘personality’. Those who know, know.

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Giving the HiLux a Birthday

After phenomenal breakdown-free daily service for over two decades, in excess of 250,000 kilometres and with enormous sentimental meaning, it made sense to give the HiLux a mechanical and cosmetic refresh, and to retire it from daily duties in order to preserve it.

In some areas, the classic Toyota clear coat peel was setting in. Paint and panel work was undertaken where needed, a new sun visor was fitted, new old stock genuine exterior trims and door seals were sourced from Amayama, and a new ARB canopy was fitted.

The Moon Mist grey/blue shifter boot and console lid were re-trimmed, leaving the worn driver’s seat, clad in the obscure early blue SR5 cloth trim, as the only worn item. A replacement has recently been acquired.

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Breathing New Life into an Asthmatic Engine

The 2.7 litre 3RZ-FE petrol engine with W56 five-speed manual gearbox was always a dependable drivetrain, but never an exhilarating or powerful experience.

This was a point of contention that my dad and I often debated over the years, discussing forced induction modifications and even a 1UZ swap, but I couldn’t bring myself to meddle with the venerable and reliable original drivetrain.

I knew I would regret irreversible modifications.

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By chance, I stumbled across a new old stock TRD supercharger setup for the HiLux that had been imported from the USA in the 2000s and was listed on Gumtree.

This kit included the Eaton MP62 blower found on some Lotus models, with a custom TRD Manifold and appropriate proprietary brackets.

As luck would have it, the supercharger arrived just before Christmas. It looked great under the tree!

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While waiting for the supercharger to arrive, my dad and I began the preparatory modifications.

First was the removal of the fuel tank, with great difficulty as the wiring loom is VERY short, to upgrade the original fuel pump to a Walbro 255LPH unit.

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The original water pump was also replaced and the viscous fan coupling was split and refilled with silicone oil then adjusted to engage at a slightly lower temperature than before.

After a few days of creative expletives and spanner throwing with my dad and a family friend, the supercharger was finally on. In the coming weeks, a Haltech Elite 550 ECU and Plazmaman fuel rail with 1200cc Bosch Injectors were fitted, and a 10 psi pulley was fitted to the supercharger.

The original brake rotors were also upgraded, with DBA T2 rotors and DBA Xtreme Performance brake pads.

Supercharger Results

After being dyno-tuned by a specialist, the fruits of our labour, whilst not staggering on paper – 98kW and 200Nm at the rear wheels with BFGoodrich KO2 31×10.5R15 tyres – was a vast improvement.

The drivability improved greatly, with steady torque throughout the rev range and a distinct whine while rowing through the gears that manages to turn some heads.

Even with the factory-fitted LSD, rainy days turn the HiLux into a handful, with a lively rear end resulting in some effortless tail-happy manoeuvres. The supercharger enables it to keep up reasonably well in modern traffic, without pushing the limits of its chassis and handling dynamics.

Fuel consumption also improved from stock form to around 10L/100km if driving sensibly and down to 8.0L/100km when cruising on the highway (despite sitting around the 3000rpm range in fifth gear).

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Sentimental Connection – Part of The Family

Spending a lifetime with this car has formed an unbreakable bond. I have graduated from the baby seat in the rear to the driver’s seat – a privilege.

Over the years, this car taught me invaluable mechanical skills from servicing and modifying it. This car was my ticket to becoming mechanically handy and my inspiration for becoming an automotive enthusiast.

This HiLux has never broken down in my entire life, which gave me a high expectation of reliability for any other cars I have owned or encountered.

Sometimes, a car becomes part of the family. If this isn’t a prime example, I don’t know what is. I have had a lifetime of memories with this car and I look forward to a lifetime of many more.

Next time you see a well-loved car, don’t be afraid to politely compliment the owner. They may very well have a story to share.

Mitsubishi has teased several all-new or refreshed models as it plans to enter new segments over the next five years in North America.

It comes off the back of revised tariffs on Chinese made vehicles and wound back emissions laws in the US, impacting product strategies for car makers operating in the United States.

Branded ‘Momentum 2030’ and presented to Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) dealers earlier this month, the plan targets four key areas: an expanded product line, electrification, a ‘modernised’ retail sales model and the addition of more dealers to its 330-strong network.

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The plan sees two all-new models mooted in “segments in which the company does not currently compete” but does not share further details on them.

However, these vehicles will likely be the next-generation Delica minivan – previewed by the D:X Concept in 2023 – and a larger SUV slotted above the Outlander, which could be a spiritual successor to the Pajero.

Both models are also mooted for an Australian launch.

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A shadowy teaser image released by Mitsubishi overnight appears to show two Outlanders – including a lifted ‘Rugged Edition’ due in 2025 [↗] – at least three all-new SUVs, an electric car, and the all-new Delica minivan.

The new cars teased for North America will be part of a push to see a “new or completely refreshed” model released each financial year (April 1 through March 31) from 2026 to 2030.

The current MMNA line-up is made up of only four nameplates: Outlander and smaller Outlander Sport (ASX), the Eclipse Cross, and the Mirage hatch and sedan.

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Automotive News reports a new small crossover with a plug-in hybrid option will debut in 2025 to replace the Mirage. It is also likely to succeed the 14-year-old ASX.

“Mitsubishi Motors is at a pivotal point in North America, charting a bold, clear and attainable plan for our future success in the United States,” said MMNA president and CEO Mark Chaffin in a company statement.

The brand’s US sales in the first quarter of 2024 were up 35.7 per cent, and while its 2023 result saw an increase of 1.8 per cent, it came against 11.6 per cent total new vehicle market growth.

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The Momentum 2030 plan includes a path to electrification – without further detail – with Mitsubishi previously publicising a global goal to be carbon neutral by 2030 and offer only electric vehicles in its showrooms by 2035.

The only electrified vehicle currently in Mitsubishi US showrooms is the Outlander PHEV.

The Outlander is the car maker’s most popular model in the US, with the plug-in hybrid version contributing to record sales for the nameplate in 2023.

The Outlander made up 49,182 of the brand’s total 87,340 US sales in 2023 – more than half – but with none of its vehicles in the top 25 best sellers.

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That gives MMNA a market share of around 0.6 per cent – compared to Mitsubishi Australia’s 63,511 sales in 2023 for a 5.2 per cent market share.

In Australia, Mitsubishi was the fifth best-selling car brand in April 2024, with the Outlander the ninth most popular vehicle in the country.

Momentum 2030 also included a plan to become “a leader in industry change and evolution” in the retail approach, with plans to update and increase the number of dealerships, entering areas of the US it currently does not have a presence in.

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MMNA said it intends to do this through new retail concepts and offering “greater technology” between the customer and the dealership during the buying and servicing processes as its buyers become younger and increasingly tech savvy.

“Back in 2018, we started to consider our path forward, and that plan brought us a new headquarters location in Tennessee; new vehicle launches that led to record Internet search results, sales records and brand successes; and outstanding dealer partners winning customer satisfaction awards,” Chaffin said.

“Momentum 2030 will build on that, setting the stage for new powertrains and vehicles being introduced, new dealerships being opened, and new technologies being developed to make the shopping and ownership experience faster, easier and more enjoyable.”