Prime Planet Energy And Solutions (PPES) is a battery manufacturing company co-owned by Toyota and Panasonic that marries the electronic brand’s battery know-how with Toyota’s automotive industry nous.
Following a feasibility study in 2017, the joint venture began in 2019 with batteries rolling out in earnest since 2020.
The operation – 51 per cent owned by Toyota – now employs 8400 people in Japan and China.
We’re the first media (outside of Toyota Times) to get a glimpse inside its flagship Himeji production facility in Himeji, almost 600km to the south of Tokyo.
With only one battery-electric vehicle currently in market (and that’s not yet in Australia after being pushed back to Feb 2024), the outward image of Toyota is one of a company that’s failed to heed the shift towards BEV that was kick-started by Tesla, with Musk’s company reaping the rewards of being first.
1
Other early adopters are also kicking goals, with BYD and MG’s BEV sales speaking volumes.
Toyota Australia claims it isn’t interested in being first, though. Its cautious approach comes from wanting to get the recipe right and not damaging the brand’s reputation for reliability in the process.
“Currently, Toyota Motor Corporation’s R&D spending and capital investment is approximately three trillion yen a year, or more than A$31 billion – and growing,” Toyota Australia’s Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley tells Wheels.
“On its own, the R&D component is some $13 billion a year. That works out at almost one-and-a-half million dollars [being spent] every hour of every day”, he emphasises.
“But here’s the rub. No matter how much we increase our upfront investments, I have to tell you that not even Toyota can do everything alone. That’s why our partnerships are so important.”
The big difference between PPES’s approach and competitors, says Toyota, is attention to detail.
Before battery packs or stacks are shipped off to customers, the charging, discharging and aging process takes 20 days, compared to the 10 days that other manufacturers allow.
This naturally slows production and adds cost but for a good reason.
1
Despite estimates from RedBook showing that a Tesla Model 3 (68-73 per cent) will have higher residual values in three years than a mainstream sedan such as the Toyota Camry (59-60 per cent) or a luxury sedan like the BMW 3 Series (50-53 per cent), Hanley is adamant that Toyota’s greater battery longevity will give the BZ4x – and future models – a leg up when it comes to overall ownership.
What’s the scale of the facility?
The perfectly rectangular – and frankly monolithic – Himeji structure measures 225m wide, 430m long and 56m high, with the capacity to produce 80,000 71.4kWh NCM batteries for the BZ4x annually.
Battery cell production capacity (for Toyota) at Himeji will swell by 7GWh in 2024, claims the company. That’s roughly equivalent to 100,000 current BZ4x packs, or more than double the current production levels.
Packs for the BZ4x are also manufactured at other PPES facilities across Japan.
The facility itself is pristine and largely empty of humans. For the BZ4x batteries, raw materials for the anode and cathode are processed and flattened to as little as 2 micrometres thick, before being wrapped tightly into individual units.
1
Three of these units are bundled into a casing, multiples of which are formed into a stack after the electrolyte is added.
The raw materials come from a host of places, notably nickel mined by BHP in Western Australia.
PPES currently sources the bulk of its lithium from Argentina and Chile, though as supply chains are revisited Australian-sourced lithium could eventually feature.
Currently, there are limited numbers of recycled materials in the BZ4x’s battery, though the copper foil and connectors are 100% recycled materials, and the anode contains a percentage of recycled materials.
PPES is still locking down recycled material suppliers and is working to increase the percentage of recycled materials it uses in production.
1
What does the future hold?
There’s plenty of talk that solid-state batteries are the endgame, but we’re not there yet. And in the meantime, there’s plenty of work to do on the current technology.
At one end, Toyota and PPES are both looking to drastically cut emissions created by battery manufacturing.
By 2030, it’s keen to have zero emissions from power production used by the plant – meaning it will be fully powered by renewable energy.
PPES is also aiming to slash supply chain emissions by 80 per cent before 2030.
Technology advancements are also key. With solid-state batteries not expected until 2027 at the earliest, the world needs other options in the meantime.
By 2026, the team wants to have a high-performance ‘monopolar’ battery for flagship products rolled out and in production.
The claim? A 200 per cent jump in range compared to current lithium-ion batteries, along with a 20 per cent cost reduction and a 20-minute charge time.
Next will be a ‘popularisation’ battery; a more affordable lithium-ion phosphate chemistry (currently used by carmakers including Tesla) that offers 20 per cent more driving range than today’s lithium-ion batteries but at 60 per cent of the cost, and with a 30-minute charge time.
Finally, nickel-heavy chemistry will bring further improvement over the 2026 Performance battery, according to the company.
It’s targeting another 10 per cent improvement in range, the same cost drop and a similar ultra-rapid charge time.
Toyota will be detailing technology improvements to its BEVs over the coming week as it gears up to show off a host of concepts at the Japan Mobility Show. Stay tuned for more details on the brand’s increasingly electrified future.
The sixth-generation Audi A4 sedan will reportedly offer an all-electric option to compete against the popular Tesla Model 3.
Autocar [↗] reports the medium luxury sedan will go on sale overseas by the end of 2025, with a design that “closely matches” the upcoming A6 and Q6 E-Tron EVs.
The A4 E-Tron is expected to use Audi and Porsche’s co-developed Premium Platform Electric (PPE), which is capable of an 800-volt class battery architecture to achieve a 270kWmaximum DC charging speed.
1
The British publication reports it’ll house a new-generation lithium-ion battery with a nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cathode, which has a usable size of around 100kWh for an estimated 644 kilometres claimed driving range.
In addition to regular single motor, rear-wheel drive 45 E-Tron and dual motor, all-wheel drive 55 E-Tron variants, a high-performance S4 E-Tron is said to produce up to 380kW. An even hotter RS4 E-Tron is on the cards.
As previewed by the Q6 E-Tron electric SUV, the A4 E-Tron will feature an evolutionary new interior design with protruding displays running Google’s Android Automotive operating system.
May 27, 2021: Audi A4 and RS4 to get the E-Tron treatment
Snapshot
A4 range could start to adopt hybrid assistance or full-electric power
Top of the range RS4 likely to retain petrol engine paired with electric motor
New A4 will be based on new version of its ageing MLB architecture
The Audi A4 and RS4 are set to get the E-Tron treatment, with both fully-electric and hybrid versions expected by 2023.
According to a report by British website Autocar, insiders close to Ingolstadt say the next-generation of A4 will use a revised version of the MLB platform which will be modified to allow the use of hybrid motors in the line-up, while the fully-electric variant will utilise the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture jointly developed with between Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen.
Gearbox options are set to be slimmed down to either a seven-speed dual-clutch or eight-speed torque converter auto as the manual option is set to disappear from the line-up entirely.
1
The long-serving EA888 four-pot turbo engine will undergo further changes to meet ever-tightening Euro emission standards, being mated to one of two hybrid systems; either a mild-hybrid with on-board charging only, or a plug-in hybrid option which would allow the car to be driven on the electric motor alone.
For the top-of-the-range RS4, the plug-in hybrid will keep the existing variant’s 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6 assisted by an electric motor boosting the already impressive 331kW/600Nm figures, while it’s thought the electric-only RS4 E-Tron could produce 350kW/800Nm using a dual motor.
Hybrid power comes from either a 48-volt system in the mild-hybrid set-up, or, Audi’s 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery, also found in the Q5, A6 and A7, in the plug-in hybrid version. The E-Tron’s 800-volt architecture meanwhile is likely to allow up to 700km of range and 270kW recharging capabilities from a DC charger.
1
Audi will still offer the A4 as either a sedan or wagon with dimensions remaining similar to the current model, Although it’s thought the E-Tron will adopt styling more reflective of the rest of the RS E-Tron range, launching as a Sportback closer in shape to the A5 to set it apart from its hybrid sibling.
More features will be available in the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class rival, from rear-wheel steering and adaptive dampers in some variants, to new semi-autonomous driving tech and near-field communication (NFC) capabilities in others, allowing payments for things such as fuel to be made from inside the car through the MyAudi app.
The new A4 is expected to go on sale in Europe in 2023 with the E-Tron variants hitting showrooms in 2024 as a rival to the Tesla Model 3, with the RS versions to follow.
The engineers at BMW M aren’t what you’d call lazy.
Ever since the M3 grew from svelte box-arched E30 into the executive express E36 in 1994, there have been skunkworks projects to capture the original compressed M Coupe’s magic.
I’m talking about the stillborn ‘M3 Compact [↗]’ in 1996 that came to pass in spirit as the limited 1M in 2011, a notoriously spiky baby M car built with the best bits from the M3 while the boss was on holiday. The 1M walked so the M2 could run, but even the relatively sanitised F87 had a whiff of after-work special about it – in a good way.
The new M2 is a proper M product. And I don’t mean it’s somehow more ‘M’ than its predecessors, rather, this is an M car designed to appeal to more people (and therefore make more money) than ever before.
BMW’s latest ‘G87’ is essentially a shrunken M4 and has grown in every dimension (bar height). Yet at its Australian launch, digital editor Inwood said he’d have one over the bigger coupe, describing its chassis as “grippy and positive, the body control taut and assertive”.
“The way it wants to rotate mid-corner so you can exploit the rear-drive balance is deeply satisfying,” he continued.
But is it better than the original? We’ve dragged a cooperative ‘OG’ M2 owner out to an excellent road to find out.
The 2017 M2 used in the comparison has been in one owner’s possession since new and boasts a full, up-to-date BMW service record. Four changes have been made to the original specification.
Apple CarPlay has been installed on the HMI, the original Michelin Pilot Super Sports are long dead and replaced by Pilot Sport 4S, and it has a metal charge pipe as a preventative measure.
It’s also fitted with M Performance coilovers. Manufactured by suspension specialists KW, the spring/damper package lowers the car by 10-15mm and adds 0.3º negative camber to the front axle. The high-quality dampers are more supple in their action and have improved rebound control, minimising the rear-end twitchiness for which the M2 was famous.
Representative of early M2s that were regarded as twitchy cars approaching the limit, we have a pre-LCI Pure manual.
It’s the cheapest M2 ever, listing for $90,500 before on-road costs when it was new. Second-hand prices now range from $60,000-$80,000, depending on condition.
Options were available and if you wanted to avoid the Pure’s positively povvo equipment list you had to tick them. This car – the driver’s pick – has manual adjust seats, no Apple CarPlay, unbranded audio, and analogue gauges.
1
G87 M2
The new M2 is a totally different beast. Unlike the OG M2 that buyers could decontent to experience its unadulterated boy racer charm, the new car only builds on the M240i’s specification in Australia.
It has a massive curved 14.9-inch touchscreen, digital instruments, adaptive dampers, power seats with heating and a Harman Kardon sound system. Then we have the drive modes.
What can’t you configure in this new car? Everything from the exhaust note to the brake feel is now adjustable, whereas before it was just throttle response and ESC efficacy.
Saying the new M2’s grown in every metric is misleading.
It’s significantly wider (the M240i is already as staunch as the OG M2), 112mm longer and rides on a wheelbase that’s been stretched by 54mm, yet its roofline falls by 7mm.
The resulting proportions are truer to the M2’s coupe position, with the older car presenting as a taller two-door sedan.
A lot has been said about the appearance of the G87 and much of that negative. Viewed from perpendicular angles at the right height, I’ll admit that the new car is stacked with presence. Thanks to the meaner proportions, it’s much better in real life than in photos.
1
Following up a smash hit though? It’s nigh-on impossible. You’d never accuse the OG M2 of having Miura-rivalling looks, but it’s bloody eye-catching.
Every panel is blistered to perfection, the designers exercising restraint where it was needed. Perhaps 2016’s M Division favoured that money was spent on the oily bits rather than overcomplicated design.
Adding size hasn’t dramatically improved the M2’s cabin experience.
There may be more legroom in the back seats, yet the lower roofline of the new car means there’s precious little headroom for those over 160cm in the new car. Boot space is unchanged at 390L, too.
However, the front portion of the cabin does have more thoughtful storage, with bigger doorbins, more useful cup holders, a deeper central storage cubby and great seat adjustment. The new car’s lower roof gives a sportier view out with a narrow windscreen more in line with a Toyota Supra than a cooking 220i.
One crucial factor that should tip the engagement in the old car’s favour is the manual gearshift.
Although never revered as being slick and mechanical like a Porsche shift, the long-throw lever in the F87 we have here seems to have opened up somewhat for a less notchy shift than when new.
That long throw also matches the control weights and feel of the F87 perfectly – it’s almost vintage in feel after the new car with such a long-travel throttle (even in Sport mode), clutch and brake pedal. Although not as instantly angry, it allows me to drive the unfamiliar F87 smoothly and with precision.
1
That higher seating position, more generous glass house and fewer screen-based drive mode distractions (there’s Sport, Sport Plus or ESC Off) add to its simple friendly charm.
Rolling into the powerband, the N55 (fettled by M in software and response, but not a full ‘M’ engine) is torquey and buttery.
It develops 272kW up at 6500rpm, giving reason to wind it out, but there’s a 465Nm dollop of torque spread between 1400-5560 rpm and little lag thanks to the twin-scroll turbocharger.
1
There’s some natural body roll that communicates grip levels and the M2’s playful balance
The amount of grunt feels well matched to the grip that the rear 265mm-wide (front 245mm) Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres have. Just enough to warrant care and deliberation when getting on throttle mid-corner – using a pedal that’s so easy to metre out accurately.
Beginning to push a little harder, I’m struck by how little stiction there is in the electronic power steering off-centre.
There’s some natural body roll that communicates grip levels and the M2’s playful balance. Although not as tenacious, this M2’s front end is somehow more trustworthy, though the brakes are definitely less inspiring than the new car’s.
1
Having not driven this gen M2 much recently I’m struck by how intuitive it feels.
Blipping the throttle on downshifts, feeling the front end bite under brakes and playing with the rear end using throttle inputs is delightfully natural.
There’s also a greater envelope of operation in the old car, uncompromising ride notwithstanding. This M2 offers equal pleasure from slow speeds right through to maximum attack.
Being a manual aids this but so does the nuanced chassis. The F87 can be belligerent at times, if only because it’s the kind of mate who doesn’t want to leave the party.
I struggle to suppress a laugh when I realise how much more accomplished the new M2 is at being a ‘normal’ car.
The effect is like turning on my headphones’ noise-cancelling on coarse-chip surfaces compared to the thunderous original. Even on its sophisticated ($5750 installed) M Performance coilovers, the old car simply can’t compete with the new car’s buttery smooth ride, either.
So it does the Dr Jekyll bit better. It’s also massively faster, something that the two-tenths improvement in 0-100km/h sprint (4.5 vs 4.3 seconds when both manual) entirely fails to communicate.
1
A metallic bark accompanies unstoppable power delivery from the 338kW/550Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo S58. The eight-speed auto is ultra-smooth and plenty quick at shifting, if less theatrical than the old dual-clutch.
If you’re the kind of buyer after an angry-looking little coupe that’s devastatingly fast to do it all then read no further. Upgrading to the new car is the right call.
However, if you fell in love with the old M2 for its unashamed boy-racer excellence, the equation’s a little tougher.
1
Its steering, for a start, is less natural with a dead zone around the straight ahead and a slightly elastic feel.
That elasticity continues in roll, where the new car resists body movements better initially, yet as those 1800kgs (300kg more than the old car!) overcome the springs and dampers it falls suddenly into the bump stops.
There’s also more front-rear pitch which, combined with a sharper throttle, makes it easier to generate understeer if you get on the power too early.
Luckily there’s prodigious power, torque and a more cleverly programmed M-Diff that, when in MDM mode, means you can nail the throttle after the apex and let the electronics do the work of deleting corner-exit understeer.
1
The new car is fast, fun, and flatters the driver.
Extra purchase from the wider front track and chubbier 275mm front/285mm rear star-marked Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber means it leaves the OG flailing in its dust for point-to-point pace.
The new M2 doesn’t shine at medium speeds, though. There isn’t as much malleability in the chassis, and the diff requires you to ask a lot of it for the new M2 to deliver joyous little oversteer moments. The weight figure, amazingly, doesn’t seem to dull its responses. It captures the M2 and 1M’s edgy baby M-car spirit – in fact, its at-limit lunacy levels are exaggerated.
Letu2019s talk settings u2699ufe0f
The old car’s pretty simple: Sport mode adjusts the steering, throttle, sound. The M Performance coilovers were set 10mm lower than factory with as-recommended compression resistance, and two (of 16 possible) clicks of extra rebound.
I refined the G87’s settings over several hours of driving. My ideal M1 had engine, dampers, steering and brake feel in Sport, transmission in S2, and dynamic stability control in MDM (or half-off) mode.
For cult fans of this M2 and the 1M before who have second cars kicking around for daily duties, the F87 M2 – even better in angrier Competition or simply fabulous CS guise – is still the pick for sheer driving joy, communication and sense of occasion.
The M2 has grown up, not old. It’s a distinct refinement of the breed.
A precious few (me included) will find that the original’s charming rough edges and jaw-dropping looks haven’t been replicated in HD clarity.
There are plenty of original M2 owners, though who will love this objectively better ball of energy’s added refinement, technology, comfort, speed and prodigious grip.
Things we like
Bang up-to-date technology
Soft and supple ride in Comfort
Has lost none of the M2u2019s rear-drive lunacy
Immensely fast and responsive
Not so much…
An extra 300kg will accelerate consumable wear
Back seat no more usable; boot the same
No more rough edges means itu2019s lost some charm
The Hyundai Venue launched in Australia with a fair amount of fanfare. A city car, jacked up, with rugged boxy styling. Like your grandma’s geriatric Chihuahua, the front-drive Venue is all bark and no bite. That hasn’t stopped punters from purchasing this cute crossover though, with the i20-based Venue finding nearly 20,000 homes since its release.
As of 2023, the top-spec Elite became a little richer thanks to the introduction of Hyundai’s BlueLink telematics system (first seen on the Palisade large SUV) that’s gradually being added to the whole Hyundai range.
It was accompanied by a minor price increase (up $960 in the Elite’s case), rendering this top-spec Venue rather expensive at $28,750 before on-road costs, or about $32K once on the road. For that ask it’ll want to be a pretty sophisticated package.
The Elite sits atop the Venue tree in Australia and starts at $28,750 before on-road costs. You’ll need to pay extra for metallic paint ($595) or look like you’re driving a hire car (as we did for the week) by paying nothing more for Atlas White duco.
Just only one engine is offered locally, a 90kW/151Nm 1.6-litre four-banger that’s nothing to shout about, and in the Elite a six-speed automatic transmission is standard.
The Elite’s 17-inch alloy wheels are identical to the cheaper Active’s, so the only way to tell the Elite apart visually is through the silver garnished grille, foglight surrounds and small painted cladding details.
1
Inside you get an 8.0-inch touchscreen that’s responsive, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, climate control with voice command, four USB ports (including three USB-C fast chargers), and a 12-volt socket.
New for 2023 is Hyundai’s ‘Supervision’ digital driver’s display – the same as on a base Tucson – replacing analogue dials. It’s clear and legible if short of being sexy.
Hyundai has also added its BlueLink telematics system to the Venue Elite. The features are included for three years and allow you to perform functions such as lock and unlock doors, wind down the windows, start the engine and engage the climate control remotely.
There’s also iCal and Google Calendar integration, emergency SOS function, geofencing, vehicle diagnostics, and finally navigation integration – you can send locations straight to the car’s navigation and it’ll help you walk the last mile to your destination with Google Maps integration – all features that are pretty stunning in what is an otherwise basic city car.
Cross-shopping small SUVs can be a minefield, especially when the sales segment of ‘light’ starts getting thrown around.
In reality, the Venue is designed to tempt current owners of Mazda 2s, Toyota Yarises, and the Hyundai Accent (that it effectively replaced) into a more chic package.
It lines up directly against the evergreen Mazda CX-3, frugal Toyota Yaris Cross, new Kia Stonic, Volkswagen T-Cross and value-oriented MG ZS. Across the various trims, each vehicle has its advantage but the Venue is the most conservatively styled, engined and trim-leveled of the bunch, save for the dreary MG ZS.
When it comes to sheer spec, the order is inverse with the ZS and Stonic both offering slightly more for less than the Venue, which in turn is more affordable than its Volkswagen and Toyota rivals.
Front occupants are treated to manually-adjustable cloth-faced seats with black vinyl bolsters that are comfy enough for short trips but there is no way to alter the under-thigh tilt and lumbar support for long journey comfort.
Cabin storage is decent for a small SUV with modest door bins, a little centre cubby covered by a sparsely padded armrest, a wireless phone charger ahead of the leather-appointed gear shifter, and two cup holders next to the manual handbrake.
Plastic quality is notoriously low in the Venue and it’s most evident in the deformable dash. Although this makes the car feel extra tinny, the truth is that the Venue’s rivals have a similar level of hard plastic in the cabin. However, the Yaris Cross and Stonic seem to disguise it a little better.
1
The touchscreen is high contrast and pretty responsive – certainly more so than the MG ZS’s laggy screen.
We would appreciate nicer upholstery and flourishes beyond white air vent surrounds in a range-topper too, but at least the Venue’s control layout is simple to use. The touchscreen is high contrast and pretty responsive – certainly more so than the MG ZS’s laggy screen.
The Venue’s back seat is more than adequate. This range-topper gets two USB-C fast-charging points back there and legroom will be decent provided all occupants are under 188cm tall. Four can fit in the Venue pretty easily, but five won’t be comfortable.
Cargo capacity is also generous, with Hyundai listing 355L of VDA space. That’s plenty for the weekly shop and enough for a weekend away with up to four people, providing none packs Paris Hilton-heavy.
In the boot is an LED light, a space-saver spare beneath the floor and some incidental storage, but it’s no Skoda Kamiq when it comes to practicalities. The tailgate is manually operated and that’s just fine because it seems to be made of old Jaffa Cake packaging.
With humble underpinnings, MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam out back, the Venue is an unremarkable car to drive.
That 1.6-litre engine motivates the small SUV just fine as long as you don’t ask too much of it.
It’s really the recalcitrant six-speed automatic that hobbles progress in the Venue. It’s easy to catch it napping when you need to squirt into a gap in traffic, as the Venue’s ‘box preferences the highest gear it can get away with like an Uber driver maximising their profits.
1
A trip up to Newcastle didn’t flatter the Venue, its powertrain struggling to hold the posted speed limit in top gear up the M1’s steep gradients.
The auto kicks down to fourth or even third to keep pace with traffic, and the din of the engine and road noise mean the Venue isn’t a cossetting mile muncher.
It doesn’t help that the Venue’s torque peak is all the way up at 4850rpm. For reference, its closest rival – the Mazda CX-3 – reaches its 195Nm torque peak right down at 2800rpm.
A drive mode selector is mounted rear of the gear selector and switching to Sport perks up the transmission while adding weight to the steering – it works well enough. Optimistically, there are also off-road modes including Mud, Snow, and Sand – none of which do much for a front-drive SUV with 170mm of ground clearance.
1
Limited to urban and suburban use, the Venue’s pert 2.7-turn lock-to-lock steering makes it feel agile and threadable.
It’s no hot SUV, but it isn’t a bad car to zip about in and the steering weight is pleasing. At 4040mm long, with rear parking sensors and that decidedly un-coupe glasshouse, the Venue is an easy SUV to park.
Ride quality is fine and the Venue’s relatively light 1225kg kerb weight helps keep it fleet-footed over bumps. Occasionally the rear torsion beam does transmit vertical hits into the cabin with a thump, though the soft-sidewalled 205/55 R17 Nexen N Fera tyres do a reasonable job of repressing harsh expansion joints.
Given its light weight and low power, the Venue should be a frugal machine. After all, a Toyota Corolla or i30 with a more powerful 2.0-litre atmo engine gets 6.0L/100km on the ADR combined cycle.
Sadly, the Venue rates at 7.2L/100km in official testing – we managed 7.3L/100km in pretty favourable open-road conditions. It’s a long way off what a hybrid or downsized turbo rival would do.
At least fuelling will be cheap as the Hyundai Venue will accept 91 RON and E10 blends at the bowser.
The Hyundai Venue received four stars in its 2019 ANCAP safety test. It was deducted a star due to its camera-based auto emergency braking (AEB) lacking cyclist and night-time pedestrian detection capability.
Being the range-topper, the Elite gets all the driver assistance features Hyundai is able to build into this platform (as detailed below) and while rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring work very well, the lane-keep assist can be annoying for experienced drivers. However, a new or less experienced driver may well appreciate the added help lane-keep assist provides.
The Hyundai Venue is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Servicing is due annually or every 15,000km and will cost you $1575 for five years or 75,000km of driving (whichever comes first), averaging out at $315 annually in maintenance costs. Three years or 45,000km costs $857, and four years $1316.
An irrational decision is no bad thing. We make them all the time. They usually lead to a more fulfilling result, or at the very least an interesting story.
It’s hard to see the Venue as a decision irrational enough to recommend making purely for stories though – it’s not as quirky and unique as, say, a Citroen C4 or Jeep Compass. Flawed cars no doubt, but ones that can be deeply charming to the right buyer.
The addition of BlueLink and the digital driver’s display are welcome upgrades for the Venue, but it still isn’t going to set sales charts alight.
1
A more rational decision is to swing by a Kia dealership and pick up an equally well-packaged Rio for less cash, or even step into a bigger and more powerful i30 hatch for about the same money.
If you’re sold on the Venue’s looks and don’t mind its entirely adequate drive then we’d recommend saving a little bit of cash and going for the mid-spec Active in a more exciting colour such as Ultimate Red or The Denim. Lack of excellent BlueLink features aside, the Active is a great trim level for a city car.
Abarth has announced the 132kW petrol-powered 695, still based on the Fiat 500 launched way back in 2007, will soldier on for a while yet.
The MY24 695 will be available at dealerships from November with a $37,900 price tag (excluding on-road charges). Seems like a hot deal, when you consider the the new Abarth 500e is over 50 per cent more expensive at $58,900.
Other small hot-hatch competitors are few and far between, these days, and the 141kW Mini Cooper S is $53,387 drive away.
1
The 695 will be offered in a single Competizione trim level, and it remains decidedly old-school in continuing with a six-speed manual as standard.
Options are limited to premium paint, two-tone (roof) paint, and Beats premium audio packaged together with 17-inch Competizione alloy wheels.
A Dualogic automatic transmission can also be optioned, and in keeping with the old-school theme, it’s a robotised single-clutch five-speed manual!
1
Standard equipment over and above the basic is pretty rich, with a 7-inch TFT instrument cluster, 7-inch radio with DAB+, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel.
It might not be the last word in modernity, refinement or finesse, but in a world of $30k+ light cars, the little Italian with a sting in its tail appears to represent surprisingly good value.
Mazda told us back in November 2022 that the long-running 6 is unlikely to be replaced, but that hasn’t stopped our man Theo asking what if?
In imagining a new-gen Mazda 6, Theo’s come up with a bulkier, blockier, bolder development of the 6’s styling themes, analogous to the evolution of the second-gen 6 (and reminiscent of how Bangle-era BMWs grew out of the ’90s models).
Theo’s renderings reflect current styling directions (and the i5, if you squint) more than Mazda’s own Vision Coupe Concept of 2017, which channeled Eunos and stillborn-Amati (remember them?) with flowing lines and voluptuous, full surfaces ending at finer, more delicate details.
The 2019 3 certainly is inspired by the Vision Coupe, with other post-2017 models such as the current CX-3, CX-5, and CX-30 likewise continuing to evolve the ‘Kodo’ style.
This year’s CX-60 and CX-90, and to a lesser extent CX-80, however, wear the more heavily proportioned styling that has inspired Theo’s concept.
1
Why has Mazda seemingly devolved Kodo?
It might be that Kodo doesn’t translate well to more rugged (in spirit) body styles such as SUVs and utes (consider the success of the Ranger against the mechanically twinned BT-50).
When the Mazda 6 has already been taken off sale in the USA, UK and Europe, and the CX-5 outsells it by nearly four-to-one in Australia, Mazda’s near-term future begins with CX – so it needs a styling theme to suit.
1
Should Mazda decide to persevere with new sedans and hatches, they will need to be electrified – and the more bullish new theme lends itself to hiding large battery packs better than low-slung, finely honed and tapered Kodo lines.
Which raises a potentially billions-of-dollars, if sadly hypothetical, question: would a new medium or large sedan use Mazda’s modular Large Architecture, or would it debut something newer, dedicated and more compatible with the electrical powertrains increasingly mandated over the coming decade.
1
Mazda has said its ‘Large Architecture’ is designed for SUVs only, so it would seem an unlikely candidate to underpin a new range of saloons.
A new skateboard-style electric vehicle platform suitable for midsize to large sedans and SUVs would be ideal, and taller styling necessitated by the thick floor could be made consistent with the 2023 releases – but does Mazda have the resources to develop one? It would likely have to partner with a larger manufacturer, presumably its usual go-to, Toyota.
1
Image: Next-Gen Mazda 6 Sedan, imagined by Theottle
Maybe there’s a third path…
How about downsizing the 6 to a lightweight, rear-wheel drive 1 to 3 Series sized sedan and coupe EV pair, based on a stretched next-gen MX-5.
Bring Kodo back with a vengeance. Maybe even call it a Eunos, Xedos, or Amati. Never gonna happen, but at least it’s an excuse to post one more pic of the Vision Coupe.
The 2023 BMW 3 Series Sport Collection is due in Australia imminently.
Priced from $89,900 drive-away, the limited-edition 3 Series Sport Collection is based on the mid-spec 330i sedan.
The 330i sedan retails for $94,700 before on-road costs – representing a drive-away saving of around $14,000 with a Melbourne postcode.
1
While it receives heated front seats and a glass sunroof as standard, the 330i Sport Collection loses some active safety equipment, including front cross-traffic alert, lane centring assist, junction assist, and evasion assistance.
It also deletes the standard 330i’s full leather upholstery, 360-degree camera system, electric boot, and leatherette instrument panel.
Metallic paint – black sapphire, Melbourne red, mineral white, M Portimao blue, M Brooklyn grey or skyscraper grey – is available at no cost, compared to $2000 on standard 3 Series models.
All other equipment is shared with the standard 330i, including the M Sport package, a 14.9-inch iDrive 8 infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, adaptive suspension and adaptive cruise control.
1
The launch of the 330i Sport Collection follows the pre-facelift 320i Sport Collection sold in Australia in 2022 for $69,900 drive-away – with less power and tech – and the 330i Iconic Edition in 2020 for $81,900 drive-away.
The Sport Collection treatment was also applied to the BMW 1 Series, 2 Series, X1 and X2 line-ups in 2022 and the X3 in August 2023.
The 2023 Ford Puma ST has landed in New Zealand, but it won’t come to Australia.
A Ford Australia spokesperson told Wheels it still has no plans to bring the Puma ST here.
The sporty light SUV will be exclusively available in New Zealand in automatic, mild-hybrid form – a variant added in Europe earlier this year after the manual Puma ST launched in 2020.
1
While the manual Puma ST shares its 147kW/320Nm 1.5-litre turbo-three powertrain with the defunct Fiesta ST hot hatch, the automatic version uses a more potent version of the Puma’s 1.0-litre engine with hybrid assist.
It produces 118kW/200Nm – up 26kW/30kW over local Puma examples but down 29kW/120Nm over the manual Puma ST.
With the 48-volt mild-hybrid system, the Puma ST’s belt-driven integrated starter/generator allows a short power boost to offer a 125kW/248Nm peak output at a lower engine rpm.
1
The 0-100km/h sprint is completed in 7.4 seconds compared to 6.7 seconds for the manual ST. Fuel efficiency is rated at 6.2L/100km and 140g/km.
Arriving now in New Zealand Ford showrooms, the Puma ST is priced from NZ$46,490 plus on-road costs (AU$43,000).
Enhancements over the standard Puma include a 50 per cent stiffer rear torsion beam, front and rear anti-roll bars, force vectoring springs, Hitachi twin-tube frequency-reactive dampers, a 25 per cent faster steering ratio, an active exhaust valve, unique front knuckles, steering arm and steering rack gearing, and larger front brake discs.
It also features 19-inch magnetite alloy wheels, a larger rear spoiler, a Ford Performance-embossed front splitter to increase downforce, a rear diffuser, unique grilles, black exterior trim, a signature vasttraffic blue colour, and sports seats.
1
It is paired to the same seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission as standard Puma variants, which have a non-electrified version of the 1.0-litre engine in Australia.
Other Fords sold in New Zealand but recently axed in Australia include the Focus hatch and the Escape mid-size SUV, which is available in full-hybrid or plug-in hybrid.
Allan Horsley, a man well-known and respected across both the motorsport and automotive spheres, has passed away at the age of 82.
Horsley’s love of speed came early, racing in the 1960s in a homemade 500cc open-wheeler at Tarrawingee in Victoria, before moving into Holden, Jaguar and Peugeot touring cars in the 1960s and ’70s.
Born in Tumbarumba, NSW, Horsley cut his teeth in the motorsport world at the Hume Wier circuit in Albury before taking on a wider role at the now-defunct Oran Park, west of Sydney, where he worked for 16 years.
Famously, he became the first promoter to pay a young firebrand called Peter Brock to race at the venue.
Best known for his thirty-year-plus career at Mazda, Horsley was instrumental in the success of names like Allan Moffat, who drove Horsley’s RX-7s to multiple Australian Endurance Championships and a historic win in 1981 at the Surfer’s Paradise 300 against the big banger V8s of the era.
The success continued into the 1990s, with Horsley spearheading the Japanese brand’s trio of wins at the 12-Hour between 1992 and 1995, with a driver roster that included Dick Johnson, John Bowe and former world F1 champion Alan Jones.
In the latter part of his Mazda career, which ended with his retirement in 2012, Horsley would spearhead road car improvement programs alongside works-level efforts in tarmac rallying.
A brace of RX-7 SPs celebrating the endurance success of the brand are now highly sought after, while his 2002 MX-5 SP brought turbo power to the diminutive roadster for the first time.
A gruff, no-nonsense façade that hid a warmth and generosity that spread to all corners of the industry, Horsley and his small team would produce their world-class builds from a modest workshop tucked behind Mazda’s NSW headquarters, always to the highest standards.
Wheels passes its condolences along to Allan’s family and friends.
The updated Lexus UX300e electric small SUV has arrived in Australian dealerships, with increased pricing but also increased driving range.
The updated EV arrives a few months late, having been expected in June.
Lexus’s baby electric SUV gets a stronger body and improvements to steering, suspension and brakes. There’s also a bigger display, revised switches, a bigger wireless phone charging space and two USB-C ports in the front, and upgraded connectivity.
Key Points
Driving range grows to 450km (WLTP)
More features and an improved chassis
Three years of Lexus Encore pampering
2023 Lexus UX300e Pricing
The base UX300e Luxury is now priced from $79,990 – up from its initial November 2021 launch price of $74,000, though comfortably below the current $84,916 Luxury Tax Threshold for “fuel efficient vehicles”.
The top-spec Lexus UX 300e Sports Luxury – the only other variant in the range – starts from $88,490.
Lexus hasn’t raised prices entirely for its own gain, however. For the new model year, there’s a bigger battery pack – and that means a bigger cost to Lexus.
1
Battery and power
More money, more time between stops.
For a bigger outlay, Lexus is quoting a claimed driving range of up to 560 kilometres – compared to a mere 360km for the pre-update model.
Beyond its new driving range, the updated UX300e’s 150kW and 300Nm remain unchanged.
However, the driving figure is an NEDC test cycle number and not comparable to most other EVs that provide quoted driving ranges based on the tougher WLTP cycle. The new system used in Europe uses real driving tests designed to more accurately represent ‘real world’ driving.
For Europe, the 2023 UX300e lists WLTP figures of 450km from its new 72.8kWh battery, against 315km for the pre-update 54.4kWh model launched in 2021.
Key luxury electric small SUV rivals include the BMW iX1 (priced from $78,900) and both the XC40 Recharge (from $76,990) and C40 (from $78,990) from Volvo.
As with the wider 2023 UX range update launched earlier this year, both 2023 Lexus UX 300e variants come with a 12.3-inch touchscreen display, wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio, satellite navigation, a wireless phone charger, and a 13-speaker Mark Levinson hi-fi audio system.
A three-year complimentary subscription to Lexus Connected Services is also included (two years more than Toyota, four years less than Kia), offering safety and convenience features through the vehicle’s inbuilt Data Communication Module when connected to a mobile network.
Upgrading to the Lexus UX 300e Sports Luxury adds leather-accented seats, moonroof, head-up display, panoramic view monitor, adaptive high beam system, high-grade three-projector LED headlamps with dynamic auto levelling, acoustic front side glass, and uniquely designed 18-inch wheels.
As before, buyers of the Lexus UX 300e receive Lexus Encore Platinum Electrified benefits, including free 7kW home charger installation, three years of free access to Chargefox charging stations, Lexus On Demand (four eight-day loans each year of another Lexus model), and three years of Valet Parking “at select locations”.
1
2023 Lexus UX300e features and equipment breakdown
Lexus UX 300e Luxury features
All-electric powertrain
Up to 560km range (NEDC)
72.8kWh battery capacity
150kW peak power and 300Nm torque
12.3-inch touchscreen display
Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto
DAB+ digital radio
Satellite navigation
Wireless phone charger
13-speaker Mark Levinson hi-fi audio system
Three-year complimentary subscription to Lexus Connected Services
2023 Lexus UX300e Luxury price: from $79,990
Lexus UX 300e Sports Luxury adds
Leather-accented seats
Moonroof
Head-up display
Panoramic view monitor
Adaptive high beam system
High-grade three projector LED headlamps with dynamic auto levelling
Acoustic front side glass
Uniquely designed 18-inch wheels
2023 Lexus UX300e Sports Luxury price: from $88,490
The 2023 UX300e is available to order now.
For details on the wider Lexus UX range, see our story linked below.
Lexus also has another new electric SUV on sale in Australia, in the form of the larger RZ. Read about that model here.
October 2022: Updated UX300e revealed with bigger battery and greater driving range
The 2023 Lexus UX 300e compact crossover is set to receive a significant update, with new vehicles arriving next year fitted with bigger batteries and a greater driving range – plus new tech and features.
Final pricing and local specifications will be announced closer to the vehicle’s on-sale date in 2023, but buyers can look forward to the updated UX 300e’s larger 72.8kWh battery pack (up from 54.4kWh), extending the vehicle’s projected driving range by 40 per cent, yielding a WLTP claim of 450 kilometres.
1
Peak outputs remain unchanged at 150kW and 300Nm, with a flat-packed battery array mounted low within the chassis floor for optimal centre of gravity and also doubles as an NVH ‘sound barrier’ to the road below.
Range-wide updates include 20 further spot welds for increased torsional rigidity, as well as recalibrated electronic-power assist steering, shock absorbers and brakes.
Inside, the most noticeable revision is a larger 12.3-inch central touchscreen with improved resolution, functionality and mounted closer for ease of use.
1
Lexus designers revised some of the switchgear which freed up more space for the wireless phone charger, and also allowed for two additional USB-C ports to be added into the centre console.
The latest infotainment operating system features in-vehicle internet connectivity, providing live updates and parking information to in-car navigation, and also enables native web browsing inside the car. The 2023 Lexus UX 300e also support wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto.
1
The cloud connected vehicle also gains access to Lexus’s suite of online Connected Services, tying into a companion app on your phone. This gives real-time information on your vehicle’s status, remote start and climate control, increased security and can also notify emergency services in the event of a crash.
All vehicles will be fitted with Lexus’s suite of safety equipment, including an enhanced autonomous emergency braking function that now also includes junction assist for when crossing oncoming traffic in an intersection. Dynamic radar cruise control has also been recalibrated for less intrusive assisted steering inputs, with curve speed control added to prevent speed creep when cornering gently.
1
Lexus Australia states that midlife updates of the UX 200 petrol and UX 250h hybrid are already on sale locally, with the updated UX 300e set to arrive in Australian showrooms in 2023. Pricing and local specifications will be announced closer to launch.
