Hey, we get it. With dozens of news and reviews stories published every week, it can be hard to keep up with all the latest in the automotive world.
Obviously we reckon every story we run is a banger, but if you’re looking for the highlights reel, this is it. Read on and click away!
Zero stars for MG 5 and Mahindra Scorpio
Australia’s most affordable sedan and one of the most affordable 4WDs on the market have received the lowest ANCAP score since 2021.
All the new Mazda models on the horizon
Your quick guide to all the new and updated models coming to Mazda Australia showrooms in 2024 and beyond… plus potential additions yet to be confirmed.
All the new Hyundai models on the horizon
Your quick guide to all the future models coming from Korean brand Hyundai – including its first-ever ute – from 2024 and beyond.
DRIVEN: Tesla’s new-look Model 3
Tesla’s popular electric sedan has arrived in Australia with its first major update inside and out. We find out if the Model 3 is now even better.
First official look at new Porsche Macan
Augmented-reality HUD and optional passenger infotainment display among features for first electric version of Porsche’s big-selling Macan SUV.
DRIVEN: Hybrid GWM Tank 300 off-roader
Great Wall’s hybrid, 255kW Tank targets Jeep Wrangler. And at least on price, blasts it away – if you can overlook a few flaws.
Smaller, cheaper engine for Isuzu MU-X in 2024
Isuzu Ute Australia has confirmed it’ll add the smaller, more affordable 1.9-litre turbo-diesel from the D-Max ute in select MU-X variants in 2024.
Three-row Cadillac Vistiq EV could come to Oz
Three-row crossover to sit between the Lyriq SUV and larger Escalade IQ in the luxury car maker’s Tesla-chasing line-up, and it may be in local showrooms in 2026.
Bids for ‘NSW 1’ historic plate surpass $8 million
The famous NSW 1 will shatter records for Australian number plate sales.
New-gen MG ZS revealed in design patents
Is this the next-gen MG ZS? You won’t find a badge on the model, but the patent filing seems clear.
Audi’s defining sports car will be no more as the German car maker wheels out the 2024 Audi TT Final Edition – the last iteration of the coupe/roadster that first went in sale in 1999.
The transformative TT’s design and Ingolstadt’s confidence to park it in showrooms spoke volumes of where the car maker was heading – and helped unlock a design-led rise of the four rings that cemented it as an automotive design powerhouse.
Across three generations, the TT Coupe and Roadster helped hone the Audi image after decades of being considered an also-ran to Mercedes-Benz and BMW – but it’s the original 1999 TT that will be remembered most fondly.
The Audi TT earned its place in automotive design legend by breaking all the rules.
Sports cars are supposed to be aggressive, defined and purposeful, and when the TT concept landed at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show, its contemporaries were dominated by wedge forms dating back to the 1970s.
Yet the TT looked back even further to evoke 1930s Bauhaus concepts.
Audi’s brand-building breakthrough was designed under the leadership of Hyundai’s now head designer, Peter Schreyer, with Thomas Freeman and J Mays.
The TT was a concept that was so different, intimately detailed and so un-car like in terms of its design principles that it was shrugged off by many as just that – a fantasy.
It took elements from the 1991 Audi Avus Concept, so named as it paid homage to the Auto Union racers that set records at the near-20km Berlin circuit in the 1930s using both mammoth powerplants and clever aerodynamics – some records it holds to this day.
A stylish Audi Sport Spyder concept was shown in 1991, too, but never made it to showrooms. The TT was for many another design department mufti day before Audi would revert to type and make stylish yet hardy avant-garde sedans and Audi at the time was not the trend setting company it is today – that came from having the guts to build the first-generation TT with few changes to that original concept.
That was ballsy because of its odd execution which did not follow conventional wisdom.
The TT was not a wedge-defined coupe with a low noise and rising waistline. Instead, viewed side on, the TT possessed a perfectly horizontal waistline with two almost symmetrical ends.
The TT did not have a sharp line, crease or jagged edge to speak of, and its symmetrical profile departed from the wedge ideals – this was a car that was not designed how a car should be.
Instead of aggression, Freeman used organic shapes to create the TT, curve upon curve that never met in anger but complimented each other with crisp, precise surfacing that had no needlessly decorative strakes or punctuations – they were, are, the decoration.
It’s hard to look at a point and isolate a shape without taking in the entire car as whole.
That waistline was high well before side-impact regulations dictated as such, while the roofline was also close to symmetrical from to rear.
The graphic on the front and the rear was also near identical – and the original, as aficionados will tell you today, did not have a spoiler to interrupt its rump.
In soft-top form – as it would remain for its entire 25-year production – the roll-over bars were made a focal point as rounded forms to become part of the design story.
Somehow, despite its roundness, the TT was not a conglomerate blob – its wheel arches set 2.4 metres apart stretching its roofline to define its shape.
Nor did its design story end inside: the 2+2 seater’s aluminium fuel surround was complimented by the gear shifter, with its riveted look and brushed aluminium that continued on the triplicate circular air vents and even the door pulls.
The TT was not just a car for car enthusiasts: it spoke to designers, creatives, artists and those who admired depth and thinking beyond next month’s sales chart. Of course, that also meant turtle-neck wearers, and former Saab owners…
The original TT used the first generation A3 platform making it front-wheel drive – a dealbreaker for some purists at the time – when it arrived in 1999 using the Golf/A3’s a 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine making a modest 132kW/253Nm.
With no racing pretensions, the TT became an astute performance car in its own right after a significant early setback.
Blemishing the design to some fans, a rear wing was added in the year 2000 along with rear suspension changes (anti-roll bars, new wishbones and dampers) after five TT owners were killed in Europe, mainly at high speed in Germany [↗].
A blow for the all-new nameplate, the issue prompted a recall, dampening enthusiasm for the TT as Audi retro-fitted the parts to 40,000 examples already sold globally and making ESP, relatively new at the time, available at a lower price.
In Australia, it was sold in five-speed manual form only from 1999 – getting a sixth gear in 2004 – with an automatic option and Quattro version added in 2004.
In 2005, the 3.2-litre V6 taken from the raucous R32 Golf – 184kW and all – and fitted into the TT to arm the seductive coupe with a 6.7 second 0-100km/h time. The TT’s bark could finally match its bite.
The second-generation TT arrived in 2006 and carried on the design spirit in a marginally more aggressive package.
Trademark lines remained, including the clamshell bonnet shut that was interrupted by the front wheel arch; the high waistline; and brushed aluminium fuel-filler cap.
Even more aggressive powerplants arrived: the second generation delivered the first Audi TT RS Quattro.
The TT RS packed a 250kW Quattro-esque turbo five-cylinder with growl to boot.
It was overshadowed by the Audi R8 at the time, which went on sale in 2006 after the company invested in Lamborghini and used the Gallardo’s underpinnings for its own sports car.
The R8 the hero of the brand, race tracks and bedroom walls while the TT was stylish, but, erm, yeah…
That meant the TT was sorely underestimated as a performance car, as noted on the now defunct MOTOR magazine’s 2008 Performance Car of the Year.
While not perfect, the TT was starting to climb to new heights – as was its price.
A bright orange TT S – not even the hero RS – with baseball glove leather was the packer’s pick, outpacing the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X down the quarter-mile and around Wakefield Park, where it handled with the same precision of its bodywork lines.
It was an upstart: how could something ape so much style yet perform more than superficially? While not perfect, the TT was starting to climb to new heights – as was its price.
The core elements of the TT remained throughout its quarter-century innings: the three curves – roof and wheel arches – teamed with that high waistline.
The third generation’s arrival in 2014 brought with it the fashion of the day – unlike the original’s disregard for convention – in a sharpened nose and angular taillights.
It was true to the organic lines of the TT playbook, but the playbook had moved on – and the square edges were not as convincing a fit for the Bauhaus design of the rest that gave the TT its identity.
The interior took the spirit of the original, though, eschewing a central touchscreen but without sacrificing modern creature comforts – the Apple CarPlay runs through the driver’s display, and its digital HVAC controls are elegantly integrated into physical dials. A masterstroke in minimalism.
Still fantastic to dive in its higher-spec versions, which again included an RS version, the TT name outlasted 1999 debutants such as the brilliant Honda S2000, and rivals such as the mixed-bag BMW Z3 and its M derivatives.
If the UR Quattro marked the Audi brand technologically, the TT defined it stylistically. It’s had its moment, and in a world of SUVs and ladder-frame pick-ups, we’re forever grateful.
Red Bull Racing has notched up another world record: this time for completing a pit stop in under 3.0 seconds – in complete darkness.
Okay, it’s a weird record, but it’s easy enough to imagine how the idea came about. Pit stops are a crucial part of Formula 1, and shaving tenths off a car’s stationary time can mean the difference between winning and losing, which is why F1 teams practice them over and over again.
Teams practice pit stops so much, in fact, that you can just imagine an observer muttering “Geez, I bet you could do it with your eyes closed…”
Cue that being overheard by a clever marketing exec and hey presto, you have the ‘Pitch Black Pit Stop’.
Red Bull gave itself 10 attempts to see how fast it could complete the blind stop which was captured using special infrared lights and infrared cameras.
The two jackmen and the driver of the car wore night vision goggles but everyone else was operating in total darkness.
Red Bull’s first pit stop took 7.52 seconds but by attempt eight they had cut it down to 3.2sec, showing just how impressive and adaptable the crew is.
On the tenth attempt, Red Bull completed the dark stop in 2.84 seconds – which, remarkably, is only a second away from the team’s fastest-ever pit stop in an actual race.
Before the challenge, Red Bull asked key team members to predict how quickly the team could do the dark stop. Jonathan Wheatley, team sporting director, guessed 2.1sec while team boss Christian Horner was closer to the mark at 2.6sec.
Red Bull’s drivers were way off. Max Verstappen thought it’d take 6.69 seconds, but Sergio Perez wasn’t even in the same ballpark with a guess of 33 seconds. Such faith…
Amazingly, this blind pit stop isn’t the craziest stunt Red Bull has put its crew through.
Back in 2019, Red Bull attempted a ‘zero gravity’ pitstop where it bundled 16 crew members and an F1 car into a Ilyushin Il-76 MDK plane which flew at 33,000 feet. The plane then dived in a special arc to allow 22 seconds of near weightlessness for the crew to do their pitstop.
As for what’s next? We’re almost afraid to ask…
Snapshot
- VW ID2 SUV concept teased in silhouette
- Will spawn T-Cross-sized EV on MEB Small platform
- Expected to enter production in 2026 with 450km range
Volkswagen has released an image showing the silhouette of its ID2all SUV, a lifted version of the ID2 concept, set to enter production in 2026 from around $45,000.
It’s simplest to think of the pair as electric versions of the Polo small car and T-Cross small SUV.
The silhouette reveals a square-off front end and short overhangs to maximise cabin space, it’s expected to measure 4100mm long with a 2.6-metre wheelbase.
In profile, you can see the ID2 SUV’s roof line is higher, while at the rear there are three distinct horizontal lines and an extended roof spoiler almost reminiscent of Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N. There are also pronounced fender flares with squared-off tops for a tougher look.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CxdMH6ju387/
You can see an earlier imagination of the ID2 SUV from digital artists Avarvarii above.
Under the skin, the ID2 SUV will share its MEB Small platform with its ID2 sibling, as well as the Cupra Raval (which will come to market first in 2025). All three models will be built in the same Spanish factory.
The ID2 SUV will be front-wheel drive likely with a 170kW electric motor, and there are claims that the small cars will have a maximum of around 450km of WLTP driving range from a 56kWh battery, with a smaller 38kWh option also offered.
Current CEO Thomas Schäfer has indicated that the next-gen of electric vehicles from VW will drop alphanumeric naming conventions, to be replaced with more memorable tags – expect the ID2 SUV production car to have a proper name not unlike T-Cross.
Inside, expect the ID2 SUV to have a similar layout to the ID2, with a 12.9-inch infotainment screen available.
Volkswagen Australia will launch its first electric vehicles, the ID.4 and ID.5 medium SUVs, in the second half of 2024 ahead of the ID.Buzz and facelifted ID.3 arriving down under.
April 16: Milano name banned, Junior name announced
In surprise news, the Italian government has banned the Milano name, leaving Alfa Romeo to go with its section-favourite option: Junior.
Story at the same link below. ?
April 11, 2024: Milano revealed!
Alfa Romeo turns a new page in its style book with today’s reveal of the Milano compact SUV, launching in Europe soon with petrol and electric options. Australians will get a look at it too – in late 2025.
December 15: Alfa Romeo Milano name confirmed for baby SUV
The 2024 Alfa Romeo Milano light SUV will debut in April, the brand has confirmed.
Joining the existing Giulia sedan, Stelvio mid-size SUV and Tonale small SUV in the Italian brand’s line-up, the Milano will ride on Stellantis’s ‘E-CMP’ architecture shared with the Jeep Avenger, Fiat 600e and Peugeot E-2008.
An all-electric powertrain will be offered at launch – a first for the Alfa Romeo brand – while a more affordable 1.2-litre mild-hybrid petrol will likely be available in select markets.
The Milano name is derived from the city of Milan in Italy where Alfa Romeo was founded in 1910. The Alfa Romeo 75 was sold as the Milano in North America between 1985 and 1992.
“With the arrival of Milano in 2024, Alfa Romeo completes a line-up capable of meeting the desires of all our enthusiasts and much more. Milano is intended as a symbolic ‘welcome back’ to all our Alfisti fans,” said Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato.
“As owners of the Giulietta and Mito, they have been waiting to confirm their love for Alfa Romeo. It also serves as a ‘welcome’ to anyone looking for a unique sporting experience in this segment and the distinctive beauty of Italian design.”
Our earlier story, below, continues unchanged.
September 12: This is Alfa Romeo’s first EV!
Snapshot
- Alfa’s new city SUV has leaked online
- New model is smaller than Tonale and will be Alfa’s first EV with a 400km range
- Official reveal is in first half of 2024; Aussie launch is possible
Images of Alfa Romeo’s forthcoming city SUV, which will be smaller than Tonale and debut as the Italian brand’s first EV, have leaked online.
Known internally as ‘the kid’, the new model will be Alfa’s smallest model since the Mito supermini and will share the same e-CMP platform as the Jeep Avenger.
The leaked images were published on Instagram and come months ahead of the small SUV’s official reveal, confirmed for the first half of 2024 – a long way out from today.
The images show Alfa’s smallest model will carry the brand’s classic V-shaped front grille, along with a sleek, twin-element headlight design.
The front and rear overhangs are impressively short, too – which will translate to great interior space – and there’s plenty of nice detailing like heavy creases in the bonnet and black detailing around the C-pillar and rear light bar.
Alfa is yet to give the new SUV an official name, although it has confirmed it won’t be called ‘Brennero’ as some European reports have previously suggested.
Will Alfa Romeo’s electric SUV come to Australia?
For now, so far out from its unveiling, it’s unclear whether the model will make its way to Aussie showrooms.
Alfa Australia told Wheels today that while it “would be great”, an official confirmation of the SUV’s Aussie plans will come closer to its 2024 reveal.
Alfa’s spokesperson also cast doubt over the authenticity of the leaked images:
“The alleged pictures of the next Alfa Romeo model are not official contents. Given the huge interest in Alfa Romeo, that we are proud of, it’s not uncommon to see “very high-standard design exercises” and speculation on the web. The new Alfa Romeo model will be presented in the first half of 2024. Stay tuned!”
What we do know about the upcoming model is that it will be closely aligned with its Stellantis stablemate, the Jeep Avenger. The pair will share the same platform and will be roughly the same size, which is around 4.1 metres long and 1.8 metres wide. For easy local context, the Toyota Yaris Cross is 4.18 metres long and 1.76m wide.
Expect not only EV, but a hybrid too
It’s believed the Alfa SUV will debut first as a pure EV, using the same 54kWh battery and 115kW e-motor as the Avenger, which offers 400km of driving range on the stricter WLTP test cycle.
A mild-hybrid petrol engine is also tipped to be offered globally – although it’s unclear which powertrains will be available in Australia, should the new model make its way Down Under.
How much will Alfa’s electric SUV cost?
Local pricing is equally unclear, but it’s fair to speculate the electric version of Alfa’s baby SUV would be similar to the Jeep Avenger, tipped to land around the $60-70K mark. (That will put it in the ballpark of the upcoming Hyundai Kona EV and Renault Megane E-Tech.)
We’ll keep you posted with further updates as Alfa’s new model gets closer to launch but for now, let us know what you think. Do you like the styling? And will a small SUV help Alfa secure some much-needed volume here in Australia?
Let us know in the comments.
December 2023: Book a stay at the Fuji Speedway Hotel, enter Supra paradise
Toyota has partnered with the new Fuji Speedway Hotel in Japan to give guests access to the entire history of its legendary Supra line.
There are some catches and conditions, of course.
Available from January 15 to June 30, 2024, the main offer is the opportunity to spend an hour with an auto-equipped, TOM’S-tuned 2020 Supra or a 2022 example with a manual – but you’ll only be able to drive the latter if you’re already licensed to row your own.
Now, here’s the one you should really want…
Book a stay over January 21-22 for the Supra Winter Festival and you’ll have the chance to book 30-minute drives in not only the current A90 generation, but also the the ‘MkIV’ A80 Supra, 1992 Supra 2.5GT Twin Turbo Aerotop, and a 1985 Celica XX 2000GT.
The final catch is, sadly, a doozy: You can drive them on the public roads around the Speedway, but not on the track itself. Boo. Still, it’s a bit of a treat either way!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve gotta go look at some flights…
April 2022: Toyota to develop a new motorsport park at Fuji Speedway
Toyota has announced Fuji International Speedway in Japan will undergo a major redevelopment.
Snapshot
- First stage of the Fuji Speedway redevelopment slated to open later this year
- New additions include a luxury hotel, motorsport museum, and hospitality venues
- Previously restricted garage areas to be opened to the public
Developed in conjunction with Towa Real Estate, the updated facility – called ‘Fuji Motorsports Forest’ – was showcased earlier this week, providing an expansion to the current Fuji Speedway track in Oyama, Shizuoka Prefecture.
The complex will open in stages to racing fans later this year, with the project set to bring additional services to the motorsport park – in a similar fashion to The Bend in Tailem Bend, South Australia.
Billed by the marque as a ‘motorsport forest’, the redevelopment of Fuji Speedway will see the construction of a new luxury hotel, motorsport museum, hospitality and leisure venues, such as spas and restaurants, and a publicly available race team garage area.
Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda said the inspiration for the expansion stemmed from his personal experience at the track as a child.
“We want it to be a place where people who work in the field of motorsports can do so more energetically. We also want racing teams to gather here with that same thought in mind.”
“We will turn this area in Fuji into a place where those who enjoy motorsports, those who work in motorsports, adults and children will want to come,” added Toyoda.
The Fuji Motorsports Museum, created under the supervision of the Toyota Automobile Museum, will include a number of historic racing vehicles to “symbolize each era”.
Alongside Toyota, a collection of manufacturers from Japan and abroad are expected to feature vehicles within the museum.
Meanwhile, the Fuji Speedway Hotel, operated by Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, will be the first of the company’s ‘Unbound Collection’ to open in Japan, offering 120 guest rooms with panoramic views of the speedway circuit and Mount Fuji.
It will commence operation in the northern autumn, with other facilities set to open from 2023.
A dedicated motorsport park exists in Australia, with The Bend Motorsport Park – situated about 100 kilometres south-east of Adelaide – offering a bitumen circuit, drag race strip, drift racing circuit, hotel accommodation, 4×4 adventure park, caravan park, and a service station.
The Cadillac Vistiq has been unveiled in the US as a three-row electric SUV that will be on sale in North America in 2026 – and is a near certainty for Australia showrooms shortly after.
The Vistiq is the brand’s fifth electric vehicle and sits on the same electric ‘Ultium’ architecture as the Lyriq SUV spearheading Cadillac’s Australian model roll-out in 2024.
Earlier in 2023, Cadillac announced its return to Australia with the brand’s model roll-out to be exclusively electric in this market.
Globally, Cadillac is aiming to offer an all-electric model range by 2030.
“Vistiq adds another compelling EV to the Cadillac line-up, reinforcing our commitment to an electric future,” said John Roth, Cadillac’s vice president of global.“Our brand now has an EV entry in most luxury segments, offering customers a range of choices, and Cadillac EVs will cover most luxury SUV segments across critical global markets in the next two years.”Cadillac revealed little else about the Vistiq, but its versatile Ultium platform will be used to manufacture the Lyriq in right-hand drive in the US for Australian consumption.“We consider everything from our global model portfolio, but we have nothing to share at this stage,” a spokesperson for Cadillac Australia and New Zealand told Whichcar.com.
Yet it’s a strong possibility as the flexibility of its modular electric architecture to be left- and right-hand drive was one enabler of the brand returning to Australia after several previous false starts.Cadillac says the Vistiq is smaller than the Lyriq, which is around five metres long, 2.2-metres wide and 1.6m tall. The vehicle in the early images from Cadillac show 22-inch alloy wheels.The also reveal ‘600e4’ badges – the same as on the Lyriq shown in Australia – suggesting the Vistiq may use the same all-wheel drive electric powertrain.That spells dual electric motors delivering 373kW/610Nm paired with a 102kWh lithium-ion battery for an official WLTP 494km range.Cadillac will release more details before the Vistiq goes into production in 2026.
December 20: Big safety update planned for MG 5
Last week’s news of the worst safety test result in years has sent MG back to the parts room, promising a number of important updates to its MG5 sedan for the 2024 model year.
December 14: Zero-star ANCAP score
The Mahindra Scorpio SUV and MG 5 sedan scored zero stars from local independent crash-test body ANCAP.
They become the lowest scores of any new car currently on sale, and the first zero-star result since the Mitsubishi Express van in 2021.
ANCAP said it wasn’t able to award any stars to the vehicles “due to a range of limitations – in both physical crash protection and active collision avoidance performance”.
Both vehicles scored below 45 percent for Adult Occupant Protection – 44 per cent for the Scorpio and 37 percent for the MG 5. The Mahindra scored well for Child Occupant Protection with 80 percent; the MG 5 was given 58 percent.
Across ANCAP’s Frontal Offset test and Full Width Frontal tests, the crash-test body said it recorded “significant injury risk measurements” in the MG 5 for the driver’s and rear passenger’s chest and legs.
The Scorpio performed relatively well in the Frontal Offset, though ANCAP rated protection Weak for the driver dummy in the Full Width Frontal and Poor for the rear passenger head, neck and chest in the same test.
ANCAP noted that the MG 5 Vibe base model lacked seatbelt pre-tensioners and load limiters on any seat positions, while the Essence didn’t feature them on the rear seats. It added that the loading on the head and neck of child dummies “was significantly higher than seen in most current generation vehicles”.
Neither model includes a centre airbag to help avoid head injuries in side-impact crashes, while ANCAP said the Scorpio’s side curtain airbags that don’t extend to its third row that the absence of top-tether child-restraint anchor points in the third row made the SUV unsuitable for carrying children there as a result.
ANCAP criticised the MG 5 for its limited active driver aids – scoring it just 13 per cent – while it scored the Scorpio zero per cent in the same Safety Assist assessment area owing to no form of active collision avoidance features.
“Both brands have misjudged the safety expectations of today’s consumers,” said ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg.
“The MG 5 and Mahindra Scorpio were both released into the Australian and New Zealand new car markets for the first time this year, yet it’s clear that their safety offerings are some generations behind what we see with almost every new car on sale today.
“This is a stark reminder that not all cars offer the same level of safety – even when they’re brand new models.
“With our independent test results now to hand, we hope to see significant improvements made to these models to have them more closely align with the safety credentials offered by their competitors”, she said.
In an official statement responding to the ANCAP result, a Mahindra Automotive Australia spokesperson told Whichcar it is committed to building safe vehicles and pointed to the Scorpio’s five-star rating from Global NCAP.
Global NCAP is a UK-based charity that chiefly rates vehicles destined for Indian and African markets and is involved in promoting road safety outside Europe and the United Kingdom.
“At Mahindra, we are dedicated to providing our customers with SUVs that are safe, authentic, and reliable. The Mahindra Scorpio stands as a strong testament to this commitment.
“At its launch, the Scorpio fully adhered to the Australian Design Rules (ADRs), demonstrating our dedication to meeting rigorous standards while also excelling in robust 4×4 capabilities and steadfast reliability.
“Equipped with comprehensive safety features, including 6 airbags, ESP, ABS, a crashworthy ring structure with multiple load paths and extensive use of high-strength steel, it reaffirms our focus on the structural safety of the vehicle and the protection it offers to the occupants.
“Scorpio’s Global NCAP 5-star safety rating highlights its high safety standards while demonstrating its strong structural integrity and the effectiveness of its inherent safety features.
“The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), updated on 1 January 2023 has specific requirements that include certain additional features.
“We at Mahindra are committed to our promise of safety and are working towards meeting unique safety regulations and these requirements for Australia as part of our product mid-cycle update”, the spokesperson said.
MG also emphasised the MG 5’s compliance with Australian Design Rules that govern vehicle design.
“MG has worked closely with the Australian Government to ensure that the MG 5 has met the relevant Australian Design Rules (ADRs) for vehicle design when they are first supplied to the Australian market”, an MG Australia spokesperson told Whichcar.
“The MG 5 was certified and approved for sale in Australia and has met the [ADRs] to be sold. The current MG 5 is offered to the Australian market as an affordable car in the sedan segment.
“We are always striving to do the right thing by our customers in terms of affordability, form and function. Where and when possible, we will add improvements to our products for our models during their life cycle. In 2024, the MG 5 will receive a safety pack upgrade which will increase the overall safety of this model in line with ANCAP’s rating system.
“These planned enhancements for the MG 5 will reiterate our commitment to customers and ensure further passenger safety with more advanced ADAS systems including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Speed Assist systems, Lane Assist systems and Pedestrian Protection safety systems as seen in some of our other models.”
The Volvo XC90 has consistently been celebrated as an emblem of luxury and safety within the large SUV segment.
The 2024 XC90 Ultimate upholds this esteemed tradition, delivering a polished and elegant driving experience. As Volvo’s premier SUV, the XC90 melds the company’s dedication to safety with unmatched luxury and comfort.
With Volvo’s aim to transition to all-electric vehicles by 2030, the journey begins with a series of mild-hybrid powertrains in the XC90.
And almost 10 years after it launched, the amount of finesse in the vehicle continues to carry on the Volvo legacy. The XC90 even won our 2023 Best Large Luxury SUVs comparison.
Pricing and Features
The Volvo XC90 Ultimate is a luxury 7-seater SUV available in two grades – Plus and Ultimate . The range-topping Ultimate is priced from $108,990 before on-road costs.
There’s a substantial 220kW and 420Nm available via the ‘B6’ 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo is aided by an electric supercharger and a 48-volt sub-system.
A less powerful ‘B6’ mild-hybrid engine is available for the Ultimate variant.
The minimalist cabin’s design echoes that of an upscale Scandinavian furniture boutique, radiating luxury and demonstrating impeccable construction quality.
The sole feature that hints at the Volvo’s age is the 9-inch, portrait-style touchscreen. While smaller than many of its rivals, its functionality remains top-notch.
The Ultimate is available in two styles: Bright and Dark.
Features that are standard on the Plus variant include:
| 20-inch alloy wheels | Heated front seats |
| 360-degree camera | Leather accented seats |
| 9-inch infotainment screen | LED headlights |
| Apple Carplay and Android Auto (wireless) | Power adjustable front seats |
| Auto dimming rear view mirrors | Power hands-free tailgate |
| Blind spot monitor | Rain sensing wipers |
| Dual-zone climate control | Retractable door mirrors |
| Front and rear parking sensors | Wireless charger |
| Heads up display |
Moving up to the Ultimate Bright adds:
| 21-inch alloy wheels | Heated rear seats |
| Body-coloured door handles | Heated steering wheel |
| Crystal gear knob | Tailored dashboard and door top panels |
| Front grille in Matte silver with chrome frame |
The Dark option offers 22-inch alloys, gloss black accents throughout and more for an extra $2140.
Safety
The XC90 is currently not ANCAP rated but did receive 5-stars when the same generation was assessed back in 2015.
However safety inclusion are evident in the XC90, with some of Volvo’s latest suite of safety technologies and driver aids.
This includes advanced features like Pilot Assist, a 360-degree camera, and numerous active safety systems designed to protect passengers and pedestrians alike.
Standard on all XC90 grades are safety features such as blind spot monitors and rear cross traffic alert.
Key Rivals
The XC90 competes against other 5 and 7-seater luxury large SUVS including:
Should I Put It On My Shortlist?
The 2023 Volvo XC90 Ultimate shone through our best luxury SUV test as a vehicle full of poise and luxurious merit.
Its focus on advanced safety features, along with a luxurious and spacious interior, makes it an ideal vehicle for families and those looking for Scandanavian style.
If you’re in the market for a premium SUV that offers more than just status, the XC90 Ultimate is certainly worth considering.
More than 2 million Teslas have been recalled in the US for ‘Autopilot’ safety concerns. The recall impacts owners of 2012-2023 Tesla Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3 and 2020-2023 Model Y fitted with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) software including ‘Autosteer’.
“In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature’s controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature,” said the recall report.
“Specifically, the investigation found that Tesla’s unique design of its Autopilot system can provide inadequate driver engagement and usage controls,” a spokesperson from not-for-profit US safety body NHSTA (National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration) said.
At the time of publication, there has not been a recall issued for Teslas sold in Australia, with the FSD software not legal on Australian roads.
The recall comes after NHSTA recalled 363,000 Teslas in February 2023 over issues with the Tesla FSD software.
That recall was prompted by safety issues at intersections, while the FSD software also ignored posted speed limits on occasion.
Tesla has said it will rectify the latest issues with an over-the-air software update.
NHSTA had already announced a probe into the Tesla FSD in August 2021, with its deeper investigation resulting into the latest recall. It initiated a second probe in August 2022, with both pending.
The probes came in response to Teslas with Autopilot crashing into first-responder vehicles as well as random sudden braking – known as ‘phantom braking’ – from considerable speed on highways.
The latest recall comes only weeks after a former Tesla employee, Lukas Krupski, was interviewed in the UK’s BBC describing the system as unsafe.
Krupski allegedly leaked confidential Tesla documents to a German newspaper while he was employed by the car maker in Norway earlier this year, telling the BBC that the system is not ready for use on public roads.
Tesla autonomous functions were first introduced in 2012, although they were not necessarily operating immediately.
Tesla’s ‘Autopilot’ function was available for ‘pre-purchase’, meaning the capability was included prior to the system becoming functional, in late 2014.
In 2015, Version 7.0 of Tesla’s FSD software included Autopilot for the Tesla Model S, which combined adaptive cruise control and Autosteer, a lane centreing capability.
Multiple collisions as well as several deaths have been recorded, including 23-year-old Gao Yaning who was killed in 2016 at the wheel of his Model S in China while allegedly using Autopilot.
The death of Joshua Brown, the first person killed in the US after his Tesla drove over a railway crossing as it was in use, saw a software update that required drivers to contact the steering wheel more often while using the system.
It also promoted NHSTA to examine the technology more closely.
The latest Version 12 software was launched in the US in late November 2023.
