Cadillac’s launch in Australia has been planned since 2015 – long before GM decided to shutter the Holden brand.

Set to launch in Australia next year with the all-electric Lyriq SUV, Cadillac’s expansion into Australia and other key right-hand-drive markets will eventually see it offer a ‘portfolio’ of EVs Down Under that could also include the Escalade IQ and the smaller Optiq, which is yet-to-be-revealed (officially at least).

“It really dates back to about 2015,” Cadillac’s global vice president, John Roth, told Wheels. “And that’s the early vision of the Ultium platform and what Cadillac can become.

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“When you look at that time frame, I wouldn’t say there’s a point in time that said this is Australia and New Zealand’s place in the world. It was more the enablement of right-hand drive and the fact that we knew back then that in order for us to be truly tier-one luxury, you have to have a right-hand drive offering.

“Now coming to market, fast forward to today, Australia, New Zealand is our first right-hand drive market. It’s been 8-10 years in the making.”

GM officially shuttered its Holden operations in 2020 but company execs were diplomatic when asked if they were expecting any lingering resentment from Aussie buyers.

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“I started at Holden,” said GM Australia and New Zealand managing director, Jess Bala. “I understand it. I wasn’t here when it all happened but obviously I watched it very closely and many of my friends and colleagues here went through it. And obviously we’ve had a big contingent join me over in the US as well which is awesome”, said Roth.

“But we’re going to continue to recognise it [Holden’s closure], it is there, but also understand that we’re bringing something very different to market now to meet the market needs and the customer needs now. And I think people are going to be very accepting of that.

“We just need to get bums in seats and I think that’ll speak for itself.”

Cadillac says “deeds not words” are what will win the trust of Aussie buyers as the American luxury brand prepares to launch here in 2024 — just four years after GM closed its Holden operations.

Set to launch with the all-electric Lyriq SUV before expanding with a “portfolio” of models, Cadillac’s return will mark the first time the American brand has had an official presence in Australia since the 1960s.

Since then Cadillac and GM have had some false starts Down Under. Cadillac was poised to launch here back in 2008 with the CTS sedan, but that venture — which had already signed up 16 dealers — was abandoned at the last minute due to the Global Financial Crisis.

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Saab and Hummer are other GM brands that were short-lived in Australia, with Opel also lasting just 11 months in 2012 before it was axed.

Yet Cadillac executives were keen to emphasise that this time the brand is committed to Australia for the long haul.

“I think trust is the big thing, right?” said GM managing director Australia and New Zealand Jess Bala. “We’ve talked about the awareness that the brand [Cadillac] already has and I think Cadillac as a brand has trust in it, but it may not be as well known here as it is in the US.

“It’s about deeds, not words. We have to show actions in the marketplace that demonstrate our true commitment.”

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“So a lot of that is going to come through the experience that we’ve already talked about. Just showing you that we’re committed here. I think it’s really important that our customers are aware that we [Australia] are the first right-hand-drive market and that shows commitment in itself.”

Cadillac’s global vice president, John Roth, agreed with Bala by adding:

“It’s about deeds, not words. We have to show actions in the marketplace that demonstrate our true commitment. And that’s why we’re seeing a whole series of announcements on a global stage.”

Roth reiterated Cadillac’s plan to build cars in right-hand-drive, as part of its broader global expansion, isn’t a new decision — it has been in the pipeline since 2015.

Ernesto Ortiz, GM’s president and general manager of strategic markets, also affirmed Cadillac’s long-term commitment to Australia.

“It’s walking the walk,” you know? he said. “Delivering what we said is a key thing to demonstrate and that is why we are here.”

The Nissan X-Trail, a well-regarded SUV known for its practicality, comfort, and value, has been named our Best Medium SUV for 2023

Building on the global success of its predecessor in the same category, the latest X-Trail has made an impressive debut this year.

It also achieved a commendable top-four finish in the 2023 Wheels Car of the Year, standing out not just among its direct competitors but also against new models from various categories.

Now, let’s delve into the details of the X-Trail range, focusing on the ST-L model, to discover its features and offerings.

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Pricing and features

The engine options for the ST-L include a 2.5-litre petrol engine, available in both front-wheel-drive (FWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) configurations. The FWD variant comes as a 5-seater, whereas the AWD version is exclusively a 7-seater.

Sitting up one variant over the entry-level ST, the starting price for the ST-L FWD model is $43,190, excluding on-road costs. Opting for the additional two seats in the AWD model also means an extra $3,100 to $46,290, but this includes the AWD feature and a few additional specs.

The X-Trail ST is impressively equipped for its class. It boasts a modern and functional exterior design, emphasising practicality and ease of operation.

Internally, the ST provides a roomy and intuitive cabin. The infotainment system covers essential connectivity needs, and the intelligent arrangement of space, complemented by Nissan’s ‘Divide-N-Hide’ cargo system, enhances its practical aspects.

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Spending the extra $6,440 to move up to the ST-L adds a few luxuries such as leather accented and heated front sears, a surround-view parking monitor and privacy glass.

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Safety

The 2023 Nissan X-Trail was awarded a five-star safety rating by ANCAP, with notable scores of 91 percent in adult occupant protection and 90 percent in child occupant protection.

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Key rivals

The mid-size SUV sector is crowded with well-known and successful models, but being one of Australia’s most favored segments, there’s ample room for appreciation among:

• Toyota RAV4
• Hyundai Tucson
• Kia Sportage
• Mazda CX-5
• Mitsubishi Outlander
• Subaru Forester

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Should I put it on my shortlist?

The 2023 Nissan X-Trail has demonstrated that it’s a vehicle that truly justifies the anticipation.

This latest generation introduces a plethora of enhanced and new features, all wrapped in an attractive package.

If you can do without the creature comforts, and want to save some cash then the entry-level ST will suit just fine, but the ST-L is a tempting offering packing in little luxuries that you’ll likely start to miss.

A brand-new five-star ANCAP car is the gold standard for safety but for many of us, prices beyond $35,000 are unaffordable – especially in the current cost-of-living crunch.

Thanks to ANCAP being around for nearly 30 years we can look back at prior scores to compare vehicles but Monash University’s Accident Research Centre (MUARC) has taken a different approach to reveal Australia’s 20 safest used buys.

By using real-world statistical analysis, the study examines data from more than 9 million crashes in Australia and New Zealand and 2.5 million injuries between 1987-2021.

The researchers examined occupant safety but also gathered data on vehicle-other road user incidents, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and other cars to generate the list.

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Beyond finding the 20 safest vehicles, the study also found that driving a vehicle made in 2021 reduces the chance of serious injury or death in a crash by 33 per cent compared to a car from 2001. Also noteworthy is a total lack of utes in the 20 safest vehicles.

“Serious road trauma resulting from the worst-rated car is more than ten times that of the best rated car in the same crash with the same driver,” said research lead and MUARC director Professor Stuart Newstead.

“If we want to optimise the safety of the fleet, we have to be wary of not just how the vehicle protects you as the driver, but also the injury risk the vehicle poses to other road users.

“The change in focus of the Used Car Safety Ratings to consider the ‘Overall Safety’ rating reflecting serious trauma risk the vehicle poses to all road users is a significant step towards this holistic approach to road safety”, he said.

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The 20 safest used cars

The 20 vehicles below (listed alphabetically) scored five stars across all categories. For a full list with all ratings, see this PDF put together by MUARC [↗].

Not all makes and models were sampled so the data set is not as complete as it could be. Still, it gives a good indication of some safe choices for family transport with plenty of Toyota and Mazda models represented.

The ‘new’ 2025 Toyota Camry sedan has debuted ahead of this week’s Los Angeles auto show.

Due to launch in Australia later in 2024, the ninth-generation Camry brings a new lease of life to the mid-size sedan popular with taxi, ride-share, fleet and police buyers.

“Cars for Australian customers will be built in Japan with a local launch slated for the second half of next year,” said Toyota Australia.

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The new Camry is a heavy facelift of the current model with an identical wheelbase, based on an updated version of the existing TNGA-K platform shared with the RAV4 and Kluger.

The current eighth-generation Toyota Camry debuted in January 2017 and received a mid-life update in 2020. It was the first model imported to Australia in three decades after local Camry production ended in 2017.

As expected, the Camry is now hybrid-only with the familiar 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine matched to “lighter and more compact electric motors to produce more power and enhanced performance compared with the previous hybrid system”.

In North America, it will offer electronic all-wheel-drive with a hybrid powertrain – like a RAV4, Kluger or Crown – for the first time. However, this combination won’t come to Australia with the Camry remaining front-drive only, as it has since the nameplate launched in 1983.

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While there’s plenty of familiarity under the skin, Toyota said it has retuned the suspension for “even greater responsiveness, stability and handling” and installed new shocks.

Externally, the Camry features an updated front end with C-shaped daytime running light signature similar to the new C-HR, Prius and Crown Sport, a revised side profile, and claw-shaped tail-lights.

Inside, there’s influence from the C-HR, bZ4X and Crown with an 8- or 12.3-inch new-gen infotainment system, an available 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the available ‘Hey, Toyota’ intelligent assistant.

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Now fitted with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, new active safety features include proactive driving assist, front cross-traffic alert, traffic jam assist, lane change assist, and full-speed adaptive cruise control.

Toyota Australia has confirmed that 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and push-button start, dual-zone climate control, Toyota Connected Services, and a 7-inch semi-digital instrument cluster will be standard on the entry-level variant.

Higher-spec variants will add 18-inch alloy wheels, a larger touchscreen and digital instrument cluster, a 10-inch head-up display, a JBL audio system, leather-accented upholstery, paddle shifters, a wireless phone charger, a 360-degree camera, and front and rear parking sensors.

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In October, Toyota Australia confirmed it has paused orders for the Camry Hybrid due to extended wait times, leaving the base Ascent petrol as the sole option to purchase locally.

And when orders reopen, it’ll likely be for the new Camry revealed today – with price hikes expected.

Toyota announced earlier this year that the Camry would be discontinued in its Japanese home market, but production will continue for export markets, including Australia.

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The 2025 Toyota Camry is due in Australia later in 2024, with local pricing and features to be announced closer to its launch.

“Moving exclusively to a hybrid Camry clearly signals the ongoing success of Toyota’s multi-pathway approach to helping customers lower their carbon footprint through electrification while leaving no-one behind,” said Toyota Australia sales and marketing boss Sean Hanley.

“Beyond the broad appeal of hybrid technology under the bonnet, we anticipate strong demand for the new Camry with its distinctive design, impeccable craftsmanship and premium interiors along with new-generation advances to dynamics, safety and convenience.”

Below: The current Toyota Camry

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The Lyriq large electric luxury crossover is leading the Cadillac brand’s return to Australian roads after a six-decade hiatus.

But which other models will join it as parent company General Motors plots a local challenge to the likes of Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Polestar, and Tesla?

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Celestiq

Cadillac’s custom-order flagship EV, the Celestiq, may be an option for wealthy Aussies with at least half-a-million dollars to burn but America’s electric answer to a Bentley Flying Spur isn’t expected to be part of the official local range.

The specs stand out as much as the sleek, coupe-sedan styling. A 111kWh battery, 447kW, all-wheel drive, active rear steer, active roll control, adaptive air suspension with magnetic ride control dampers, four-zone microclimate cabin system, and five high-definition interactive displays.

Read more about the Cadillac Celestiq.

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Escalade IQ

The Escalade IQ is a new fully electric spin-off of Caddy’s iconic full-size that would be expected to sit at the top of the local range.

It’s a beast at 5.7 metres long, and it monsters Mercedes-Benz’s EQS electric SUV in several other measures. It’s 200kWh battery is almost double, there’s 560kW and 1064Nm on tap via a Velocity Max mode, while the estimated range comes in at an impressive 724km.

Other notable features include 24-inch wheels, four-wheel steering that shrinks the turning circle to 12 metres, and pillar-to-pillar digital dash displays spanning 1.4 meters.

With a US$130K price tag, though, the Escalade’s price would inevitably escalate to well north of $200K in Australia.

Read more about the Cadillac Escalade IQ.

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Optiq

The Optiq is yet to be officially revealed but it’s now an open secret after some official images and details leaked online in China (one of the images above) – and the name was trademarked in Australia earlier this year.

Leaked dimensions say the Optiq will be 4.8m long with a 2994mm wheelbase, making it a natural junior to the 5.0m Lyriq (with 3094mm wheelbase).

Styling is also connected, though more SUV-conventional than the bigger Caddy electric SUV.

Specs also reveal the choice of rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive models for a vehicle expected to form the entry point to the Cadillac brand in Australia.

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Lyriq V

Not a new vehicle per se, but it would be a highly anticipated variant of the Lyriq – as the V badge would signify Caddy’s first electric performance model.

It currently signifies high-performance versions of the CT4 and CT5 sedans, but the Lyriq V is believed to be in development right now – with rumoured outputs of 410kW and 880Nm.

That compares with power and torque figures of 373kW and 610Nm for the current most powerful versions of the Lyriq – the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive variants.

It’s the only Cadillac Lyriq in Australia and it travelled about 15,500 kilometres to get here, flown in secretly from General Motors’ Spring Hill manufacturing plant in Tennessee, where it’s built, and via Hawaii.

Wheels is the first local media outlet to see it, weeks ahead of its official press unveiling in Melbourne, as part of exclusive ‘long lead’ coverage for the latest issue of our print magazine (which goes on sale imminently – so grab yourself a copy!).

Dressed in black (paint), the Lyriq hasn’t arrived at our nondescript Port Melbourne studio in what would be the first choice of Ellen Dewar, our head of photography, who’s tasked with shooting some pretty studio pictures.

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Well, it would be last choice, but that’s compensated for by the sense of excitement around not just a new vehicle but a whole new brand – even if speculation around Cadillac’s return has been strong, especially when the Lyriq name was trademarked a few months ago.

(That was along with the Optiq and Escalade IQ names of what are expected to be future models joining the Lyriq here.)

Pictures can disguise a vehicle’s size, and even in the metal you need to be looking at the Lyriq in profile to appreciate it is indeed a large SUV; one that’s a few mils short of five metres.

Caddy’s designers have also done a terrific job with the Lyriq’s stance and proportions, with very short overhangs – a 3.1m wheelbase dominates the length – and a roofline that’s relatively low and tapering to the rear. There are hints of the Range Rover Velar to the styling, which most would view as a compliment.

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There’s also a subtlety to the design that’s often missing from big American SUVs.

And here’s a particularly subtle touch: the Cadillac badge is monochromatic for its EV models.

Disappointingly for Australia, our local vehicle design rules (ADRS) means the Lyriq’s LED-patterned grille will need to be disconnected for our market. (There are different LED grille patterns for different model grades.)

The Australian show car is a Sport variant, the flagship of a three-tier range in the US.

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A ‘600e4’ badge on the tailgate represents three drivetrain elements: 600 is a rounded-down reference to the Sport’s torque (610Nm), e is for electric (of course), and 4 indicates the all-wheel drive created by the dual motors.

Single-motor, rear-drive versions of the Lyriq are available in the US, producing 255kW (versus 373kW for the dual motor) and 440Nm.

Maximum quoted electric ranges aren’t significantly different: the 505km figure for the Lyriq RWD is just 11km more than the AWD.

The Lyriq is keen to make a good impression even before you step into the cabin. Opening the front doors reveals illuminated sills featuring Cadillac in script next to a silhouette graphic of the Lyriq.

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The Lyriq’s cabin design is far off Tesla’s ultra-minimalist approach, yet, again, there’s more restraint than with your typical US SUV interior.

A 33-inch digital display dominates the dash, though we can’t explore the dual displays as they’re not yet configured for the Australian market.

The driver instrument section is customisable, though, we know.

On the centre console, there are knurled edges for the Google Built-In infotainment system’s rotary controller, volume scroller, and cup-holder borders.

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There are intricate controls for the air vents and soft materials are placed in key areas, though plastics do start to get harder the lower the eye level.

Seat-shaped adjustment switches embedded in a genuine matt wood door section could have been pulled out of a Mercedes, though the overall interior styling arguably has the most in common with Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis.

Our strangest thought: the steering wheel looks like a headless Darth Vader opening his arms outwards. (Or maybe it’s just because I’ve watched Star Wars about 50 times.)

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Door pockets are generously sized, and while the main console cubby is quite shallow, there’s a lower section for larger items that also serves as the inductive tray for smartphones.

The storage/charging tray, as well as a cubby that pulls out of the central dash, are finished in a bright blue felt that comes right out of the… Let’s call it a ‘surprise and delight’ feature as the colour has no relationship with anything else in the interior.

For the glovebox, Cadillac borrows an idiosyncrasy from Tesla – it can be opened only via a button on the infotainment touchscreen.

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Interior options include an AKG audio system with 19 speakers – including in the headrests.

A wheelbase not far short of 3.1 metres delivers as expected in the rear seat: limousine legroom.

The flat floor and wide cabin mean three adults could sit across the bench with a high degree of comfort.

Pressing the monochromatic Cadillac badge at the rear opens the electric tailgate.

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Inside, there’s an amount of boot space that makes Cadillac’s 793-litre boot measurement sound realistic, even if some of that likely includes a sizeable underfloor well (where cables or other items can be placed).

There are electric switches for lowering the 60-40 seatbacks, though the auto operation is a one-way ticket only; the seatbacks need to be raised manually.

With the seats flattened, Cadillac quotes cargo space of 1722 litres.

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As the tailgate lowers to a close, that completes our static tour of the Cadillac Lyriq.

With the full local market launch still at least 12 months away, our heavy desire for a steer of the electric Caddy means it may be time for us to fly ?? kilometres in the opposite direction.

This time it should happen.

General Motors’ American luxury brand Cadillac will return to Australia, it has confirmed this week – 15 years after the global financial crisis prompted a last-minute bail-out of a planned local launch.

The Cadillac Lyriq large electric SUV will spearhead the brand’s global expansion, which will include Australia and New Zealand from late 2024, along with Japan, the UK, and parts of Europe.

Cadillac plans to be an all-electric brand by the end of this decade, with the reduced complexity of EV production making it easier for cars to be built in both left- and right-hand drive configurations.

GM will split its sales operations set-up in Australia, with Cadillac established as a separate, EV-only brand while ICE models sit under the GM Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) banner that was introduced in 2020 following the demise of Holden.

GMSV recently announced the V8-powered GMC Yukon Denali large SUV would join the Chevrolet Silverado full-size pick-up and Corvette sports car ranges.

While the Yukon will join the Silverado as a model converted to right-hand drive by GM’s local partner Walkinshaw, Cadillac will build RHD models at its US factories for export as it looks to establish itself as a truly global luxury brand.

GM Australia and New Zealand said several key factors made 2024 the right timing for the first official return of the 121-year-old Cadillac brand since its iconic tail-fin cars were sold locally in the 1960s.

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“I think this time around the evolution that the Cadillac brand is taking is really bold with what we’re doing,” GM ANZ managing director Jess Bala told Wheels in an exclusive interview.

“GM’s investing a lot in EVs, which we’ve publicly talked about across all the brands, and for Cadillac in particular, as the luxury brand, it’s really spearheading that.

“And if you look at the markets here in Australia and New Zealand, we’ve got a lot of tech-savvy customers, a lot of luxury customers, and we feel very confident that the timing now is right to introduce Cadillac here.

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“[GM has] been very public that we want to be a global company, and you can’t be global if you don’t have right-hand drive because there are still many major markets that are right-hand drive with considerable volume in it.

“GM’s invested a lot in the modular [800-volt] Ultium platform, which is the foundation for all of our EVs across all of the GM brands, and it does make it a lot easier to therefore do right-hand drive.”

Cadillac will launch with the Lyriq initially before expanding the line-up. The company is billing it as a mid-size luxury SUV, though in Australia its 4996mm length puts it squarely in the Large SUV camp.

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In the US, the Lyriq currently features a 102kWh lithium-ion battery and is available in single-motor/rear-drive and dual-motor/all-wheel-drive formats.

The Lyriq RWD produces 255kW and 440Nm, and has a maximum driving range of 505km. The AWD model increases power and torque to 373kW and 610Nm, while range drops only marginally to 494km.

Cadillac says DC rapid charging of up to 190kW allows for 124km of range to be added in just 10 minutes.

With battery technology continuing to advance at a fairly rapid pace, and the Lyriq yet to be homologated for Australia, expect the above figures to vary by the time it reaches Australia in about a year’s time as a ‘2025 model-year’ (a 2024 model in our market language).

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If Australia mirrored the Lyriq range in North America, there would be a Tech entry model, mid-spec Luxury, and the flagship Sport.

Cadillac brought the full-fruit Sport model to Australia for the mid-November media announcement, flying it in especially all the way from its Tennessee factory via Hawaii.

Pricing for the Lyriq is a long way away from being confirmed, though US prices virtually guarantee six figures. Its dimensions also put it on a collision course with Audi’s Q8 e-Tron, BMW’s iX, and Mercedes-Benz’s EQE, as well as Tesla’s Model X (presuming it returns to Australia).

Germany’s large electric SUVs range between $131,000 and $146,000 in starting prices; Tesla’s Model X started from about $140-150K before local orders were stopped when the company ceased production of right-hand-drive versions.

GM ANZ is not yet confirming which other Cadillac models will join the Lyriq here “not long after”, though local trademarking suggests we don’t need any budding Sherlocks.

GM has registered both the Escalade IQ and Optiq names in Australia – the former a freshly unveiled, fully electric version of the brand’s halo-model full-size SUV; the latter another electric SUV that’s slightly smaller than the Lyriq. Check the page opposite for more details on these models.

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Bala also dropped some heavy hints at the potential for more affordable Cadillacs than the Lyriq.

“I think there can be a [pricing] span depending on different size of vehicles and what the entries are,” she said. “[The Lyriq is] our mid-size – [if] on the bigger side, especially for here – but knowing that there’ll be more opportunities for different vehicles to come should be able to give us some leverage from a [price] bandwidth standpoint, too.”

While GMSV products will continue to be sold through dealerships, Cadillac will follow the Tesla (and Genesis) ‘direct to consumer’ formula. The Lyriq and subsequent models will be sold online or via Cadillac Experience Centre stores, which initially will be set up in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland.

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Cadillac’s EV-only focus means bad news for any Australians planning to order either of the CT4 and CT5 mid-size and large sedans, especially the appealing ‘Blackwing’ high-performance variants.

The CT4-V Blackwing produces 352kW from a twin-turbo V6 and has a claimed 0-60mph (0-97km/h) time of 3.9 seconds, while the CT5-V Blackwing is an HSV throwback with its supercharged 6.2-litre pushrod V8 and 498kW power output.

Cadillac’s history is rife with famous sedans – as well as coupes and convertibles – but the CT4 and CT5 are expected to be phased out by 2026. Performance fans will be placated by the development of a more focused Lyriq V model, slated to develop 410kW.

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When asked by Wheels, GM wouldn’t confirm whether a four-door body style had a place in its future line-up beyond the Celestiq outlier.

US industry journal Automotive News reports that an electric sedan is possible for around 2027, otherwise Caddy’s future range looks set to be dominated by SUVs and crossovers.

The Lyriq, at least, impresses in the metal. With its Rangie Velar-like profile, short overhangs, and a glass-to-metal ratio heavily skewed towards sheetmetal, the electric Caddy SUV is strikingly designed and delivers a commanding presence.

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Cadillac name-checks the German luxury-brand triumvirate – Audi, BMW, and Mercedes – as natural targets

Our studio model’s black exterior paint added a suitably sinister element for a brand that’s had its fair share of appearances in mobster films and series, including The Sopranos and Goodfellas. But bolder colours are available, such as Emerald Lake green, Opulent Blue, or Radiant Red.

Cadillac name-checks the German luxury-brand triumvirate – Audi, BMW, and Mercedes – as natural targets, as it talks about competing in the “tier one luxury” realm. It also admires compatriot Tesla that has “dominated the EV space”.

Many challenger luxury brands have struggled outside of the US, but Cadillac’s global boss, John Roth, told Wheels the brand is confident it can stand out in the luxury-car space.

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“Cadillac has always been a leader in innovation for the consumers and there’s an opportunity on a global stage to bring that Cadillac luxury brand [experience]. Only Cadillac can do American modern luxury in the marketplace,” said Roth.

“When you go back in time, Cadillac in 1910 had the first fully enclosed vehicle with the H model. You look at 1912 and we had the first electric starter … in 1928, the first curved shatterproof windshield… All those ideas start to apply to our thinking [today] of what a luxury customer really looks for in a vehicle.

“Beyond the luxury touchpoints that need to exist in the vehicle, [today] you get into the software enablement that’s inside the vehicle. And on a US basis, there are elements like Super Cruise [autonomous driving], heads up display, 33-inch screen, and all the technology that a [luxury] consumer would ask for in a vehicle like this – because that’s what Cadillac stands for.

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Local boss Bala believes factory right-hand-drive Cadillacs will also be a significant factor for Australian luxury-car buyers

“There’s just a great opportunity with a [vehicle] like Lyriq and with an overarching brand like Cadillac for us to really step into the Australian and New Zealand market and have that same kind of momentum and growth that we’re seeing in other parts of the world.”

Roth said Cadillac was achieving strong year-on-year growth in the US, as well as countries including China and Canada.

Local boss Bala believes factory right-hand-drive Cadillacs will also be a significant factor for Australian luxury-car buyers, contrasting with the imported GMSV models that are converted here from left-hand drive.

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The flexible, modular Ultium platform also creates the potential for more GM brands to follow Cadillac here as separate entities, though it remains to be seen whether GM will be ready to play again in the high-volume segments it once occupied outside of the US with the likes of Opel, Vauxhall and, of course, Holden.

The chances of a dedicated Chevrolet brand with models such as the Blazer EV that’s a twin to the Lyriq, as well as the smaller Bolt EV, are played down for now.

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“I’d say that consistently over in Michigan, the [GM] team’s always looking at opportunities, what’s possible, and what makes the most sense for the company as well,” said Bala.

“Obviously the Ultium platform is going to allow us to be a lot more flexible when it comes to those sorts of [decisions], but as of right now [a separate Chevrolet brand] is not something we’re planning on doing. But we are constantly looking at different opportunities, especially for the GMSV line-up.”

The confirmed re-introduction of America’s most famous luxury car brand, however, can be seen as a statement that General Motors, just three years after the painful closure of Holden, is ready to get serious about Australasia again.

The Nissan X-Trail has long been a popular choice in the SUV market, known for its blend of practicality, comfort, and affordability.

And now, the latest Nissan X-Trail has been crowned as our Best Medium SUV for 2023. This comes after its predecessor garnered global acclaim in the same category, setting a high bar for the new model’s debut in 2023.

Additionally, it secured a top-four position in the 2023 Wheels Car of the Year, successfully competing against not only its immediate competitors in the segment but also against the latest entrants across various categories.

So let’s take a look into the entry-point into the X-Trail range – the ST – to see what it has to offer.

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Pricing and features

The ST engine choices include a 2.5-litre petrol engine, available with front-wheel- (FWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) drivetrains. The FWD model is available as a 5-seater, while the AWD is exclusively a 7-seater offering.

Pricing starts from $37,250 before on-road costs for the ST FWD variant. Need the extra two seats? It’ll cost you another $3040, but you’ll also add the AWD capabilities and a couple of other features.

The X-Trail ST, while being the base model, is well-equipped for its segment. Its exterior design is both modern and functional, with a focus on practicality and ease of use.

Inside, the ST offers a spacious and user-friendly cabin. The infotainment system ensures basic connectivity, while the clever use of space and Nissan’s ‘Divide-N-Hide’ cargo system add to its practicality.

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Safety

The 2023 Nissan X-Trail received a five-star safety rating from ANCAP, achieving impressive scores of 91 percent for adult occupant protection and 90 percent for child occupant protection.

If you’re interested in Nissan’s ProPilot+ safety suite of features which adds semi-autonomous highway driving, you’ll need to look from the next variant, the ST-L onwards.

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Key rivals

The mid-size SUV segment is filled with established and equally successful names, but as one of Australia’s most popular segments there’s plenty of love to go around between:

• Toyota RAV4
• Hyundai Tucson
• Kia Sportage
• Mazda CX-5
• Mitsubishi Outlander
• Subaru Forester

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Should I put it on my shortlist?

The 2023 Nissan X-Trail has proved its a car that was worth waiting for.

The new-generation has brought a heap of upgraded and new specifications, in a good looking overall package.

If you’re on a budget, the X-Trail ST will offer you and your family plenty as a great family all-rounder but if you’re wanting some additional creature comforts, the ST-L will definitely start to tick some boxes you didn’t even know you had.

“Jump” isn’t a word you expect to hear while driving a $1.5 million dollar Ferrari around a circuit, yet I swear that’s what Ferrari’s test driver, who is improbably young and rakishly thin, has just said over the radio.

“Be careful over the jump,” comes his ultra-cool voice from the car ahead of me, the high-pitched howl of his own SF90 XX rising in the background. “It’s extra wet here”.

Spray is pouring off the back of his car, which unlike my scarlet red machine is a shade of brilliant blue, and despite his warning, the young test driver doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all.

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We slingshot through the right-hander that leads onto the bridge at Fiorano and I watch as he gasses it out the other side, the bewinged tail of his car shimmying for a nano-second before it rockets up the road. It’d be rude not to follow…

This is our first ‘hot lap’ in the SF90 XX Stradale – the fastest road car ever to lap Fiorano – and it’s also my first opportunity to go full throttle. Wary of the wet kerb, I get the car straight and flatten it. OH. MY. GOD.

The traction light blinks for a second but then BAM, the SF90 XX leaps forward, the electrified front axle clawing at the tarmac before the big 4.0-litre V8 chimes in like a sledgehammer. It’s ferocious acceleration, the kind that forces your neck to tighten and your knuckles to whiten, and then I hit the ‘jump’.

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Really it’s just a seam in the tarmac, an innocuous rise of a few centimetres as the track crests the bridge, yet the SF90 XX hits it with such velocity that it seems to take off.

The car goes light, the rear axle squirms and rages before it bites once more and the insane sense of acceleration returns.

What follows at Fiorano are five laps of extreme discovery. On paper, you could accuse Ferrari of rolling the arm over with the SF90 XX. Oh sure, this is the first time Ferrari has ever made an XX car that’s also road legal. Every XX before it – Enzo XX, 599 XX and the LaFerrari based FXX-K – have been slick-shod, track-only monsters.

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And yes, the SF90 XX does look obviously different to a regular SF90 thanks to that huge, downforce generating rear wing – the first ‘fixed’ rear wing on a Ferrari since the F50 — but power from the 4.0-litre V8 and three e-motors has risen ‘only’ by 22kW.

The tyre spec is also identical to the Michelin Cup 2s on the regular SF90 and despite a heavy focus on removing weight, just 10kg has been shaved from the XX’s total dry mass of 1560kg.

Then there are the obligatory 0-100 and 0-200km/h acceleration markers where the XX version is ‘just’ 0.2sec quicker than the standard car. Both are blistering, though… The XX will hit three figures in 2.3 seconds while 200km/h is chalked up in 6.5sec.

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One number that has changed dramatically for the XX, however, is the price.

A regular SF90 Stradale will set you back around $850,000 – providing you’re lucky enough to buy one, that is – but the XX is about twice that. Only 799 coupes and 599 Spiders of the SF90 XX will be made and each will carry a sticker price of $1.56m and $1.73m respectively. The Spider, incidentally, isn’t only more expensive but it’s 100kg heavier and two tenths slower to 200km/h.

Any notion the XX is a cynical money grab, however, is immediately and categorically banished when you drive it. This is a different league of performance.

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Because it’s raining, and the SF90 XX makes 1030hp (757kW), Ferrari’s mechanics have swapped out the standard-fit Cup 2 rubber and instead fitted run-flat Bridgestones to better disperse the water.

And from the get-go, the SF90 XX is far friendlier than an ultra-complex, aero-honed track car ought to be.

I once drove a Lamborghini Huracan STO on a wet Phillip Island and that experience was so full of glassy understeer and spiky, terror-inducing oversteer than I immediately wanted to return to the garage, but the SF90 XX’s initial handshake couldn’t be warmer.

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The steering is fast and crisp but not nervous, the front tyres are grippy and turn obediently, and the balance feels so benign and predictable that you find yourself relaxing after just a few corners.

And then it’s got you. Like a witch with a candy house, once you’re inside, there’s no escaping, and there’s a mind-boggling degree of performance to unpack.

The first thing to wrap your head around is the seemingly bottomless sense of grunt at your disposal. Outputs may have only risen slightly but the numbers undersell the changes Ferrari has made to both the 4.0-litre V8 and the plug-in hybrid system.

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The pistons, for example, are a new design and the V8’s compression ratio is higher.

The inlet and exhaust ducts have also been polished to boost airflow efficiency and there’s a different machining process for the combustion chamber. The engine itself is lighter, too, thanks to the deletion of the regular SF90’s secondary air system which saves 3.5kg.

Then there are the cooling improvements for the 7.9kWh battery that feeds the three e-motors (one for each front wheel, with the third nestled between the V8 and the gearbox) which allows it to deliver a 20 percent higher discharge rate. But the bigger change is to the software that controls the electric deployment.

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Dial in Qualifying mode and the XX automatically delivers 30 additional hits of ‘extra boost’ which last for 2.0 seconds on corner exit. Around Fiorano, Ferrari says this feature alone is enough to shave 0.25s off your lap time.

Combine all this and the result is a powertrain that feels wonderfully savage. Squeeze the throttle in any gear, at any revs, and the pick-up, response and rush of speed it delivers is mind scrambling. Need some context? The SF90 XX has twice the power of an F50 (1030hp plays 512hp) and its total output is almost identical to the FXX-K Evo.

Better news, though, is that despite the obvious complexity of combining three e-motors with a highly strung V8 and regenerative braking, it all feels wonderfully seamless. There are no clunky handovers between the engine and e-motors, no weird sensations as torque is shuffled from wheel-to-wheel.

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And because the XX’s intake plenum has been redesigned and moved closer to the cabin, there’s plenty of additional exhaust noise to enjoy, too.

The sound of the V8 isn’t objectively beautiful – it’s far from the lusty operatics of a V12 – but it’s urgent, angry and visceral. Then there are the gear shifts from the eight-speed dual-clutch which are whip-crack fast and have been re-engineered to deliver a sharper rev cut and ‘race car’ sound when you upshift close to the 8000rpm redline.

Power is nothing without control, of course, and the traction available — even on a soaked circuit — is mighty. The Bridgestones help (Ferrari’s pit crew call them “wets”) but mostly it’s down to Ferrari’s mastery of chassis electronics.

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The rain is falling hard enough to use ‘wet mode’ during my first session and the way the SF90 XX manages wheel slip and blends in the throttle on corner exit feels like witchcraft.

Out of Fiorano’s hairpin you can absolutely flatten the throttle and marvel at how the system perfectly increases the power delivery as you wind off the steering lock.

You need faster hands in Sport and Race modes – we weren’t brave enough to try CT off – with the latter providing enough latitude to understand the SF90 XX would be a proper animal without the clever systems. Not that I felt robbed of any excitement by keeping the electronics switched on, however: this car is intoxicating.

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I emerge from my first two sessions shaking, every synapse fizzing as if I’ve just hooked myself up to a mains supply of caffeine.

My brain is slightly fried, not just from the sensory overload but from the understanding that I’ve only scratched the surface. It’s easy to be cynical of ultra-expensive track cars like this, to dismiss them as out-of-touch exercises for the uber-wealthy, yet the SF90 XX has gotten under my skin in an unexpected way.

Further proof of just how much of a leap the XX is over the regular SF90 is provided by what it can do in the hands of Ferrari’s chief test driver, Raffaele De Simone. On a sunnier and far warmer day, De Simone hustled the SF90 XX around Fiorano to achieve an independently verified lap time of 1:17.309s. That’s 10 seconds quicker than an F50, and 2.4 seconds better than La Ferrari — that’s a lot around a small 3km track.

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The more telling difference, however, is how it compares to a regular SF90. Until now, the ‘standard’ SF90 was the quickest road car around Fiorano but the XX is a full 1.7sec faster.

Remember, the XX has the same tyres and limited extra grunt, meaning a big chunk of its extra performance is down to one thing: aerodynamics.

Ferrari says it ran more than 1000 digital and 150 wind tunnel configurations for the SF90 and the result is a car that creates more downforce than any road-going car Maranello has ever made. The huge, fixed rear wing alone makes 315kg of downforce at 250km/h and it works in tandem with a moveable section of bodywork below it that Ferrari calls a “cut-off Gurney” which can rise or lower automatically to vary the amount of drag and downforce.

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The rest of the car has been honed to beat the air into submission, too. The underbody is almost entirely closed off, the rear diffuser is a new design and up front there’s a larger front splitter which makes 45kg of additional downforce on its own.

The biggest change in the nose, however, is the repositioning of the radiators. In the regular SF90 the centre radiator cools the battery and e-motors and ejects its hot air underneath the car. In the XX, however, that central radiator has been inverted which allowed Ferrari to seal off the floor.

“This gave us a huge amount of downforce but it created problems because now we have hot air that exits through the bonnet and over the windscreen,” says Ferrari’s head of aerodynamics, Matteo Biancalana. Ensuring that hot air didn’t make its way into the engine intakes “was a nightmare” according to Biancalana but the net result is a car that makes 530kg of downforce at 250km/h.

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The extra grip means Raffeale De Simone doesn’t need to touch the brakes between Fiorano’s fast turn 4/5 complex like he does in other road cars but is it something regular punters can feel?

On a dry circuit maybe but today it’s hard to gauge how much of the aero I’m actually exploiting. The fact that even I don’t need to brake between T4 and T5 bodes well and I’m sure I can feel some aero benefit through the fast sweeper around the back, but aero grip is a tricky thing to describe.

Something that’s indisputable, though, is the improvement to braking performance. The XX boasts larger rear discs and unique carbon pads but the transformational change comes via software, which Ferrari calls ABS Evo.

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It’s able to process more information more quickly, and more accurately, than a regular SF90 and it can also brake each wheel completely independently, which allows the driver to brake later and to carry more brake pressure into the apex.

The pedal itself is expertly judged – firm but with good modulation – and despite the XX’s tauter chassis set-up, there’s actually a surprising amount of pitch from the nose under heavy braking.

You can sense a whisker of body roll through quick changes of direction, too, which is enough to suggest that despite its track focus, the SF90 XX could trump both a GT3 RS and McLaren Senna for ride comfort on the public road.

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Ferrari’s clever ‘bumpy road’ mode for the adaptive dampers and a nose lift are both available, too, though we didn’t get to venture outside of Fiorano on this visit.

So how to sum up the SF90 XX? With the light fading and the rain returning, I slip into the passenger seat for a final few laps of Fiorano while Ferrari’s test driver does the driving. It allows me to drink in some details that I’d missed earlier, like the naked carbon on the door cards, the lack of carpets, and how beautiful the metal throttle and brakes pedals are.

The whole cabin is striking, actually, in a sparse yet expensive way, though storage isn’t a strength – there’s a single cupholder in the central carbon spare and some small nets in each door.

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At least the seating position is brilliant, though, and the seats themselves – which are the lightest ever fitted to a Ferrari road car – are supportive and surprisingly comfortable.

The passenger laps also give me time to consider the point of the SF90. This is the first time Ferrari has made a road-legal XX car and needing to fit it with numbers plates has clearly robbed it of some of the extreme character you get in hardcore, slick-clad cars like the FXX-K and 599 XX.

Does that make it any less special? It’s a tricky question to answer – and a conundrum that plagues all ultra focused, tyre-limited road racers – yet as I watch Ferrari’s test driver oversteer out of the hairpin and then effortlessly pitch it into Fiorano’s fast, high-consequence left-hander, there’s no disputing the level of excitement and ability on offer here.

As a machine for delivering an experience, of translating the sensations and excitement of speed and grip and noise – even on a wet track — the SF90 XX is a masterstroke. In the dry, and on Cup 2R rubber, it’d be something else entirely.

2024 Ferrari SF90 XX specifications