October 18, 2022: Toyota Australia is being sued over claims up to 500,000 of its diesel-powered vehicles were fitted with emissions defeat devices.

Maddens Lawyers, representing the plaintiff Adam Rowe, has launched a class action in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

At this stage, Mr Rowe is the focus of the claim, but the firm has been in contact with a number of other owners and it is thought upwards of 400,000 people could end up involved.

The vehicles affected involve many of Toyota’s popular models using several variants of diesel engines between February 7, 2016, and the present day. Owners of brand-new and used cars could be affected if a vehicle was sold during that time.

Variants of the HiLux, Prado, Fortuner, Granvia, HiAce, LandCruiser and RAV4 are all referenced in the lawsuit, as outlined in the table below.

It is alleged some diesel engines developed by Toyota include design elements which tamper with the vehicle’s emissions control system in order to enhance the car’s performance, in turn breaching Australian regulations (including ADR 79) and misleading customers.

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Madden’s Lawyers’ Special Counsel, Brendan Pendergast, said on some Toyota models the emissions control system is alleged to perform differently in test conditions compared to on the road. This results in cars passing regulatory testing but then emitting unlawfully high levels of nitrogen oxide when on the road.

“Toyota has historically been one of Australia’s most trusted brands,” he said. “It is Australia’s top-selling car brand. If the Court finds that Toyota has been using ‘defeat devices’ then there are literally hundreds of thousands of people driving a car that simply should never have been allowed on our roads.”

It is thought the case, if successful, could overshadow the reach of the Dieselgate scandal here in Australia.

“This class action is one of the biggest claims in Australia’s legal history,” said Pendergast. “It could result in each participant receiving tens of thousands of dollars in compensation.”

Responding to the legal action, a spokesperson for Toyota Australia told Wheels: “Toyota Australia stands by its reporting, monitoring and evaluation standards in relation to the emissions for all its vehicles.“We will defend the class action announced today rigorously.“As this matter is before the courts, we have no further comment.”

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This class action is completely separate to another legal case against Toyota, which involves defective diesel particulate filters (DPFs) in 2015-2020 examples of the HiLux, Prado and Fortuner.

Toyota Australia is appealing that Federal Court decision, which found it misled customers about vehicles fitted with defective diesel particulate filters (DPF).

If Toyota loses, the battle could cost the manufacturer more than $2 billion in compensation to 250,000 owners.

In April this year, the Federal Court found Toyota had misled customers about a defect with the DPF equipped to cars fitted with either a 2.4-litre ‘2GD-FTV’ or 2.8-litre ‘1GD-FTV’ turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, impacting a total of 264,170 vehicles built between October 1, 2015, and April 23, 2020 across the HiLux, Fortuner, and LandCruiser Prado model ranges.

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While the Court believed Toyota’s “conduct in marketing the vehicles as being of acceptable quality was misleading”, the local division of the manufacturer intends to appeal the decision – claiming it has worked to issue a remedy for its customers.

The DPF assembly – designed to reduce harmful exhaust emissions – was found to become clogged or blocked, stopping the system from working, and instead creating a “range of consequences including emission of foul-smelling white smoke, the display of excessive DPF notifications, and the need to have the vehicle inspected, serviced and repaired”.

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Fuel consumption was also found to have increased when the issue arose.

However, the Honourable Justice Lee wholly rejected the arguments, writing “[Toyota’s] attempt to downplay the significance of the core defect and the defect consequences does not withstand scrutiny”.

Despite owners arguing the defects reduced car values by 25 per cent, Justice Lee deemed a 17.5 per cent reduction in the average retail value to be appropriate.

There is expected to be crossover with the DPF case however, and members of that are free to also take part in the Maddens’ defeat device claim if their vehicle is relevant to both.

Anyone who believes their car may be involved can contact Maddens via its website.

Great Wall Motor will introduce “more than 50” electric and hybrid-powered vehicles by 2025, ahead of a plan to dump petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

It plans to become a leading global player in electrified vehicles, which are referred to as ‘new energy vehicles’ in China. This comprises hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric powertrains and every GWM brand, including Haval, Ora, Tank and Wey.

GWM said a number of these vehicles are already on sale in China, or in an advanced stage of development.

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It also plans to open its first zero-carbon emission factory in 2023, while the plan also includes hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles currently in testing.

Currently, only the main GWM brand – which sells the Ute – and Haval’s range of SUVs are available in Australia, however, it is expected to launch the Ora and Tank sub-brands in 2023, offering electric city cars and hybrid 4x4s.

This will likely include the 2023 GWM Ora Next Cat electric sedan revealed at the Paris Motor Show this week, and electrified versions of the Jeep Wrangler-sized Tank 300 and Toyota Prado-rivalling Tank 500 off-roaders.

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While these models are unconfirmed for Australia, all are tipped to arrive in late 2023 or early 2024 – joining the GWM Ora Good Cat electric hatchback due next year.

It will follow the launch of the Haval H6 Hybrid and Haval Jolion Hybrid in Australia within the past six months.

A hybrid version of the H6 GT ‘coupe’ SUV is available overseas, but a local launch has yet to be locked in – along with an H6 plug-in hybrid.

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GWM also debuted export versions of the plug-in hybrid Wey Coffee 01 and Coffee 02 SUVs at the Paris show, which are known in China as the Wey Macchiato and Latte, respectively.

In addition, GWM will install solar charging stations in Europe in the coming years.

“We are looking not only for economic benefits but also to make a sustainable future for our employees and customers,” said GWM’s head of European markets, Henry Meng, in a statement.

2022 Mazda BT-50 Thunder long-term review

The basics

JUMP AHEAD

• Price & features
• First impressions
• Fuel use
• UP NEXT: Towing a car, of course

? Hello from the future! You can continue reading this story, or you can visit our latest BT-50 Range Review linked below.

REVIEW CONTINUES…

Welcome

• KILOMETRES THIS MONTH: 1100km
• AVERAGE FUEL USE: 9.6L/100km

The latest dual-cab to enter our fleet is Mazda’s BT-50 Thunder, which sits at the top of the BT-50 range.

The third-generation BT-50 lobbed in late 2020 and was the first of its kind to be based upon the Isuzu D-Max; the previous model was a Ford/Mazda collab.

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While the two utes are styled quite differently, they are essentially identical twins under the skin. Pop the bonnet of the Mazda and you’ll find a 3.0-litre diesel Isuzu four-pot looking back at you, complete with Isuzu markings. No bad thing, given Isuzu’s strong reputation among Australian consumers.

Behind the engine is your choice of a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed auto; we’ve got the latter in our test vehicle. The four-wheel drive system is selectable between high and low range, and there is a lockable rear diff out the back – an important feature for serious off-roading.

Inside, the Mazda’s dash has been restyled, but the infotainment system and main controls are pure D-Max.

Whaddya get?

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All BT-50s come loaded with safety features, including eight airbags, AEB, radar cruise control (auto only), blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, emergency lane keeping, lane departure prevention, speed limit recognition, driver attention monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and electronic stability control with trailer sway control.

There is also traction control, hill launch assist and hill descent control for when the going gets rough.

To create the Thunder, Mazda starts with the BT-50 GT, which means we get leather trim, heated front seats and power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated external mirrors, dual-zone climate control, LED daytime running lights, fog lights, front parking sensors and a fold-down armrest in the rear bench seat.

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Mazda then adds a stack of goodies to the GT, including 18-inch rims, sailplane-style sports bar, fender flares, integrated bash plate, side steps, hoopless steel bullbar, Lightforce dual-row LED lightbar and an electric roller tonneau cover.

The package is rounded out by a set of ‘Thunder’ decals that will have you humming AC/DC’s Thunderstruck every time you approach the car. Note that the additions add almost 200kg over the GT, reducing the allowable payload to 887kg.

All that kit adds up to $13,000 worth of value, according to Mazda.

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Speaking of money, let’s look at how the Thunder fits into the range price-wise. The auto GT upon which the Thunder is based will set you back $57,390 before on-road costs.

Sitting in between the GT and the Thunder is the sporty SP. The SP gets some similar goodies as the Thunder (including 18-inch mags, fender flares, the sailplane sports bar and a manual roller tonneau) but misses out others, including the bash plate, bullbar and lightbar. It will set you back $63,390 before on-roads.

And our Thunder? It comes in at $68,290 before on-roads.

First impressions

Inside the Thunder, the vibe leans more towards SUV than tradie-tough. While there are still some hard plastics in use, the comfy brown leather seats, stylish leather-trimmed tiller and overall design bring things up a few notches over the average ute. Note that the Thunder doesn’t score any extras on the inside; the interior is purely GT-spec.

On the road, the cabin is well insulated against road and tyre racket.

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The 9.0-inch touchscreen runs the Mazda’s native sat-nav, digital radio, reverse camera, wireless CarPlay and wired Android Auto. While I haven’t tried the factory sat-nat yet (Google Maps does a great job through Android Auto), the other features are for the most part intuitive to figure out, with few gremlins to harsh the buzz.

That said, the new Ford Ranger‘s 12-inch touchscreen makes the Mazda’s infotainment system look somewhat old hat.

Some of my colleagues reckon the BT-50 and D-Max twins are over-enthusiastic in their safety warnings and interventions. My philosophy on these matters is to take a Zen approach and work with the car’s safety systems instead of against them.

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For example, while the Thunder’s AEB can kick in unnecessarily at times, it can be prevented by adjusting your driving style. Also, the lane assist feature can be turned off with a press of a button on the tiller if you desire. And hey, I’d much rather have these features than not.

We were keen to put the Thunder to work, but found that the electric roller tonneau was faulty when the car was first delivered and couldn’t be opened. This was speedily repaired by Mazda’s technicians.

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While the tonneau does eat into your load space somewhat, it is well worth it for the security it provides. One small quibble is that while the tonneau locks with the rest of the car when you hit the remote, the tailgate itself must be manually locked. Remote locking for the tailgate is a $392 option that we’d be ticking.

The tray features a tub liner (very necessary in our business!), LED lighting and decent tie-down points. The tonneau keeps the tray pretty well watertight, though you’d be advised to wipe any water off before opening if you’re carting things you don’t want to get wet.

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Around town, the Thunder rides perfectly comfortably and makes short work of absorbing the potholes and traffic-calming obstacles that blight my local area. Stopping and steering are a cut above the class average, in my estimation.

But don’t take my word for it – the Wheels team found that the Thunder out-braked the (previous model) Ford Ranger Raptor, Jeep Rubicon and Toyota HiLux Rugged in both wet and dry conditions in their 2021 ute mega-test.

Comparisons

Dual-cab ute comparison 2022: The daily living test

Dual-cab utes have charged in as a firm favourite for family hauling and daily duties, well beyond the old mould of tradie tasks and off-road adventures. It’s time to see which are best suited to the role.

5 hours ago30

Fuel economy?

With a mix of city and country driving, we achieved an average of 9.6 litres per 100km. Not bad given my somewhat spirited driving style, I reckon.

Grunt-wise, the Mazda seems to be adequately equipped, but I’ll be able to better assess that when we stick a laden car trailer behind it in our next instalment.

• KILOMETRES THIS MONTH: 1100km
• AVERAGE FUEL USE: 9.6L/100km

Towing

• KILOMETRES THIS MONTH: 800km
• AVERAGE FUEL USE: 12.6L/100km

Which makes having a good tow vehicle (and a good trailer!) all the more important if you want to enjoy the overall experience.

This month, we dragged the Carnage Mazda MX-5 from Melbourne up to Heathcote Park Raceway a spot of testing. Powered by a Ford Barra six-cylinder engine making around 750kW, the MX-5 is far from street legal and I’ve towed it interstate many times, including up to Alice Springs!

Weighing in at around 1000kg, the MX-5 is much lighter than any of the other race cars in our fleet.

3100kg GVM – same as regular GT despite the extra goodies.

GT weights 2035kg, so let’s be conservative and say Thunder is 2200kg

GCM ute plus payload

887kg payload for the auto.

680kg trailer tare weight

1000kg MX-5

3600kg? GCM – well under the 6000kg rating

UP NEXT: Tech

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The 2023 Mazda CX-5 has debuted in Japan ahead of a likely Australian launch early next year.

While the brand’s local arm has yet to confirm the updates, information published to the Mazda CX-5 Club Australia Facebook group has indicated the updated medium SUV will gain new technology, a new colour, and price rises across the range.

It will be the fifth update for the CX-5 in the past five years, with the last three updates occurring in the first quarter of 2020, 2021 and 2022 – setting a precedent for a launch between January and March.

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Headlining the minor update is the addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and front USB-C ports, which replace the two USB-A outlets in the centre console.

In addition, the 10.25-inch infotainment system – currently limited to range-topping GT SP and Akera grades – is expected to feature on the Maxx Sport, Touring and Touring Active for model-year 2023.

The entry-level Maxx will likely retain its ageing 8-inch unit, running Mazda’s older software. The status of wireless Apple CarPlay for the Maxx is currently unknown.

It seems Android Auto will remain wired-only, while the lack of a touchscreen for the Mazda Connect infotainment system is tipped to remain – unlike the new CX-60, which supports touch inputs for smartphone mirroring.

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Dealers have advised customers to expect a price rise of $500 across the range, while a feature allowing drivers to open the windows from the key fob – but not close it remotely – is also slated to appear.

The new colour, Rhodium White Metallic (pictured throughout), debuted on the CX-60. It will replace the current no-cost Snowflake White finish for $795-extra – following a $200 price increase of Mazda’s premium hues earlier this year, from $595.

Full details are expected in the lead-up to the launch of the 2023 Mazda CX-5 early next year, so stay tuned to Wheels for the latest information as it emerges.

UPDATE, January 2023: New Qashqai driven in Australia!

After pricing was announced early in 2022, the new-gen 2023 Nissan Qashqai is finally in Australia – and we’ve driven it! Get our full story at the link below.

Story continues

The new 2023 Nissan Qashqai small SUV has been awarded top marks in safety testing by ANCAP.

The independent crash testing authority gave the Qashqai five-star scores in each of the four key areas – and in doing so it chalked up a high score of 97 per cent within the Safety Assist category.

This score was achieved through the “standard fitment of an advanced and robust range of collision avoidance technologies”, ANCAP said.

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Full points were scored for its active lane support, autonomous emergency braking (AEB) junction and AEB backover capabilities, while its AEB pedestrian and AEB Cyclist performance were also strong.

High scores were awarded for the Qashqai’s performance in AEB car-to-car tests, and the SUV’s speed assistance system – which helps the driver manage an appropriate speed.

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“The presence and performance of these features demonstrates the significant effort Nissan has made to offer the best safety equipment possible to Qashqai buyers,” said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg.

Maximum points were also awarded for the Qashqai’s ability to protect the driver in the destructive side impact and oblique pole test. Meanwhile, an ‘adequate’ performance was recorded for the chest of the driver in the frontal offset and full-width frontal assessments, and ‘marginal’ performance noted in the full width test for the chest of the adult female dummy seated in the second row.

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High scores were awarded for the Qashqai’s protection of child occupants, with an overall child occupant protection score of 93 per cent.

“By achieving these scores under ANCAP’s most stringent protocols, Nissan’s impressive safety performance will be welcomed by families and fleet buyers looking to purchase their next SUV,” Hoorweg added.

The old Qashqai was previously rated by ANCAP in 2017 under the previous protocols, while the new model has been tested against the 2020-2022 criteria.

Also recently being given five stars were the Volvo C40 Recharge and BYD Atto 3 – but the latter only in New Zealand so far.

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The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has been revealed ahead of its Australian launch in mid-2023.

It is the eighth model in the expanding Mercedes-EQ electric vehicle family, following the larger EQS SUV unveiled earlier this year.

Whereas the upper-large seven-seat EQS SUV is the high-riding version of the EQS flagship sedan, the large five-seat EQE SUV is a taller version of the EQE sedan – and an electric alternative to the GLE large SUV.

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It is underpinned by the same EVA architecture, with a range of available powertrains – including a performance Mercedes-AMG version – and the latest technologies, including the Hyperscreen tri-display dashboard.

In Australia, the EQE SUV will be initially offered in three forms: the EQE 300 RWD, EQE 500 4Matic, and the AMG EQE 53 4Matic+.

JUMP AHEAD

• Battery, performance, charging and driving range
• Exterior design
• Interior comfort and technology
• Infotainment
• Dimensions and storage
• Safety features
• Availability

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Battery, powertrains, charging and driving range

Three variants will be available at launch – the rear-wheel drive EQE 300, the all-wheel drive EQE 500 4Matic, and the AMG EQE 53 4Matic+.

BATTERY

Under the skin, the EQE SUV features a 90.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which provides energy to a single- or dual-motor system.

It features a unique six-phase, permanent-magnet design and is comprised of 10 per cent cobalt, with over-the-air updates for the battery management software.

PERFORMANCE The entry-level EQE 300 is powered by a single electric motor on the rear axle, with more information expected in the coming months. It is likely to offer around 180kW.

A mid-spec EQE 350+ is offered in other markets, producing 215kW and 565Nm. Mercedes-Benz has yet to confirm performance figures for the non-AMG EQE SUV.

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Meanwhile, the all-wheel drive EQE 500 4Matic features the same battery pack, but sports a dual-motor setup producing 300kW and 858Nm.

The flagship AMG EQE 53 develops 460kW and 950Nm in standard form – opting for the AMG Dynamic Plus performance pack adds 45kW and 50Nm, for 505kW and 1000Nm in total.

It is headlined by a 3.5-second 0-100km/h sprint time with the optional performance pack, and a 220km/h top speed (240km/h with the performance pack).

A less-powerful AMG EQE 43 is available in other markets, but it is off-limits for Australia (for now). It produces 350kW and 858Nm, with a 4.3-second 0-100km/h time and a 210km/h top speed.

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CHARGING As standard, DC fast-charging up to 170kW is offered, which enables around 220 kilometres of driving range after a 15-minute top-up.

AC charging at up to 11kW is available, while a 22kW on-board charger is optional, helping to reduce charge times at home and the office.

Like the EQE sedan, Japanese-market examples will be compatible with bi-directional charging, allowing for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and vehicle-to-home (V2H) compatibilities to redirect power back into the electrical grid or the owner’s home.

A heat pump is standard to preheat or cool the battery while driving for optimal charging efficiency.

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DRIVING RANGE According to Mercedes-Benz, the EQE 350+ SUV has a WLTP-rated driving range of between 480km and 590km – down slightly on the EQE 350 sedan but ahead of its closest rival, the BMW iX xDrive40 (420km).

Expect a similar figure for the EQE 300.

The dual-motor EQE 500 has a claimed driving range between 460km and 547km, while the flagship AMG EQE 53 reduces this to between 375km and 470km.

With three stages of regenerative braking available, including a ‘one-pedal’ mode to bring it to a complete stop, the vehicle can recuperate up to 260kW.

MATCH-UP

Note: List scrolls horizontally.

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Exterior design

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the EQE SUV is directly inspired by its EQE sedan sibling, with a closed-off front end, front and rear light bars, and pop-out door handles.

An AMG Line package with sportier design elements is optional, while the alloy wheels sit between 19 and 22 inches in diameter.

Mercedes-Benz has focused on aerodynamics – with short overhangs and a sleek shape – but it hasn’t revealed its drag coefficient at this stage. For reference, the larger EQS SUV is rated at 0.26 Cd.

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The standard LED headlights can be upgraded to the Digital Light matrix-LED system, which includes road projection in select markets. This will become available in a future remote software update, displaying markings and warning symbols on the road.

A new ‘Serene Breeze’ exterior driving sound has debuted on the EQE SUV, which is said to offer a “relaxed and natural” tone, while it also includes an optional artificial interior sound.

The optional air suspension can raise the body by 30mm below 60km/h, while it is lowered between 10mm and 20mm to reduce wind resistance above 120km/h.

As expected, the EQE SUV features optional rear-axle steering up to 10 degrees, which reduces the turning circle from 12.3 to 10.5 metres (standard on the EQE 53, with electromechanical anti-roll bars).

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Available drive modes include Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual, while all-wheel-drive models feature an Offroad selection, which adjusts slip depending on conditions, and enables or disables stability and traction control.

AMG versions also include Slippery and Sport+ drive modes but omit the Offroad configuration. The AMG Dynamic Plus pack adds a Race Start button, with unique artificial sounds and the full 505kW on tap.

It has an 1800-kilogram braked towing capacity for AWD models, while RWD versions are limited to 750 kilograms.

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Interior comfort and technology

Mercedes-Benz has virtually copied the design of the EQE, EQS and EQS SUV for the EQE SUV’s cabin, featuring a tri-display setup, turbine-like outer air vents, a free-standing centre console, colour-adjustable ambient lighting, and quilted Nappa leather upholstery.

The luxury marque offers five co-colour combinations with warm and cool tones, including brown, grey and blue/black.

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Nappa leather is optional, while the standard interior utilises vegan leather.

In addition, there are wood and aluminium elements, and the laser-cut backlit three-pointed star trim on the centre console.

As announced last year, the EQE SUV is one of several models to feature Dolby Atmos compatibility, which provides a 360-degree audio experience similar to that available in cinemas and selected headphones.

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Infotainment

The central 17.7-inch infotainment system, running the latest version of the MBUX operating system, supports over-the-air software updates, the ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice assistant, machine learning, and custom driver profiles.

Mercedes-Benz has partnered with American tech company Zync to offer on-demand video, music and sport from “more than 30” streaming services at launch, accessible by subscription.

It is joined by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an optional 12.3-inch passenger touchscreen, known as the MBUX Hyperscreen.

To learn more about the MBUX Hyperscreen, read our Australian first drive of the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 by clicking here.

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Dimensions and storage

The new EQE SUV measures 4863mm long, 1940mm wide and 1686mm tall, which is 61mm shorter in overall length, 8mm narrower and 110mm lower than a GLE – but its wheelbase is 35mm longer, maximising interior space.

Interestingly, its wheelbase is 90mm shorter than the EQE sedan, while the SUV is 173mm taller.

There is 520 litres of boot capacity behind the second row, and 1675 litres with the rear seats folded.

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Safety features

Mercedes-Benz claims the lack of an engine block allowed it to improve safety in a frontal crash, with “verified and extensive component tests” performed during the development stage.

It includes eight airbags (dual front, side, curtain, driver’s knee and front-centre) as standard, while rear-side units are available to protect second-row passengers in a side collision.

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Availability

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV will arrive in Australia in mid-2023, with full details and pricing to be announced closer to launch.

It will commence production at Mercedes-Benz’s facility in the United States in December – joining the EQS SUV, GLE and GLS.

With fierce competition from the BMW iX, Audi E-Tron and Polestar 3, expect it to start from around $150,000 plus on-roads locally.

The smaller, outgoing GLC-based Mercedes-Benz EQC medium SUV is priced from $122,724 before on-road costs, extending to $139,723 for the flagship variant.

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UPDATE, January 2023: Polestar’s sustainability chief visits Australia

In the months since we spoke with Fredrika Klarén in Denmark, she has since been in Australia not only to visit family, but also to talk further with local media about her mission to grow the green credentials of Polestar’s cars. When you’re done reading this story here, get our latest coverage at the link below.

Story continues

It’s no secret that there’s no such thing as a perfectly clean vehicle, completely free of environmental impact.

Whether it’s the emissions made and oil used in the production and operation of a conventional combustion-engined car, or the rare earth minerals mined to build and coal burned to charge (most but not all) EVs, cars don’t come without some baggage.

Most detractors of electric vehicles – those not focused purely on driving range – will hone in on the proven harmful production processes and the (increasingly shrinking) number of EVs in Australia that are charged with energy drawn from coal-burning power plants.

It’s the sort of thing that, like politics and vaccinations, leads to heated debates on social media; fuelled by misquoted snippets from articles with varying efforts in substantiation, and links to study after study, both sides repeating “google it” and “do your research”.

Carmakers aren’t unaware of this debate, though, and most have been making moves for years to dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of their vehicles. It’s not an inexpensive process to revolutionise every facet of supply, production and transport, of course – and much of the process can’t yet be made completely emissions free – but most brands would argue they’re innovating at pace.

Speaking with media at this week’s global reveal of its new ‘3’ EV, Polestar’s head of sustainability Fredrika Klarén said the brand is going to lengths to ensure it is using the most ethically sourced minerals and materials it can, through new traceability and accountability programs.

Batteries on the blockchain… mostly

On the topic of minerals needed for batteries, Klarén says Polestar uses blockchain technology to trace the origin of cobalt and mica used in the production of batteries made by its supplier, China’s CATL – the world’s largest producer of batteries for EVs.

In the case of the cobalt, human rights issues have surrounded mining from the world’s main source, the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. CATL claims it has taken steps to ensure human rights are respected in the mines it uses and owns a stake in. (source)

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“We know the minerals in our batteries come with risk, both in terms of environment and human rights,” Klarén said. “So for us it’s become a focus on traceability.

“Polestar 2 was the first car on the market to use blockchain to trace cobalt. We know that if we can trace materials, we know that we can ensure the requirements we’ve set on our suppliers can be met. A lot of materials now have traceability schemes.

“When it comes to minerals – a very corrupt supply chain – there has not been robust traceability, but we’ve been able to use blockchain to create these schemes, and that has been an amazing journey for us. But of course, responsible sourcing, and really working with our suppliers to meet those requirements – our suppliers are working to reduce their emissions and move to more renewable energy.”

Less transparent is the treatment of lithium mine workers inside Chinese borders, with reports of forced labour in the country’s west difficult to verify – or disprove, given the ongoing human rights concerns regarding the treatment of Uyghurs in the region. More new mines are opening in western nations, however, and while human rights are less an issue, environmental impact remains a major concern.

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Lithium, and nickel, are not yet included in blockchain traceability systems, but Kerstin Enochsson – head of procurement for Volvo, both parent of and partner to Polestar under the Geely banner – said in 2019 that the company is “working on getting lithium and nickel in the blockchain as well”.

Scientists are also working to establish a program for tracing the origin of lithium in batteries by its atomic signature, an even more accurate and trustworthy method than blockchain – which is effectively a more advanced paper trail.

Mining companies, too, are aware of the increasing need for transparency and traceability to satisfy a growing expectation of sustainability. In Australia, mining company Mincor has acknowledged the need – and the financial advantage – for meeting these goals.

“With this fundamental shift in the market, if you can produce clean, green nickel, because it will be traced right through to the vehicle, you’ve probably got a pretty good future ahead of you,” former Mincor boss David Southam told the ABC in August 2022.

One new mine opening in Canada, Snow Lake Lithium, has declared it will extract lithium in a “no harm” project, supplying enough lithium to North American manufacturing for around 500,000 EVs to be built each year for the next 10 years. Polestar has confirmed it will build a number of its Polestar 3 EVs at Volvo’s plant in the US (for markets outside of China, although it is “undecided” if that could include Australia), and strong new legislation around Chinese imports to the US could see the company using lithium sourced from a company like Snow Lake.

Comparisons

Best Electric Cars Under $65k: Affordable EVs Rated

Welcome to part one of three price-based EV buying guides, this one focused on the most affordable electric cars available in Australia today

9 Dec 20226

Recycling and remanufacturing

End-of-life is another area of focus for the brand, particularly the recycling and repurposing of its batteries and vehicle components, Klarén said.

“We have partnerships for battery recycling – they can repair broken batteries (for refurbishment), building remanufacturing capability in those partner centres.

“However, there are currently limitations in infrastructure for recycling. There is so much about cars that is recyclable, but there is so much still to be done. We’re looking into new ways of working to promote a greater infrastructure here, but we can’t talk too much on that yet,” Klarén said.

Asked whether Polestar itself should launch a recycling program of its own rather than relying on partners, CEO Thomas Ingenlath, also present for the Q&A session, added: “the business of recycling; no we don’t need to get into that business, but we do need to engineer our cars to be more easily recyclable in a meaningful way.”

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Leather sourced with ‘animal welfare’ origins

Interior trim is another area where innovation is keeping pace with the wider materials market, with more and more brands looking to sustainable fabrics made from ocean plastics, bamboo, cork, coffee grounds, cactus leaves and more, along with that old favourite, wool.

For its standard trim, Polestar uses “bio-attributed MicroTech”, a synthetic ‘vegan leather’ made largely from recycled polyester with none of the PVC or polyurethane historically used to make vinyl). But while some brands offer no genuine leather option in their EVs at all – seeing the material as one incongruous with the goal of EVs – Polestar will continue to make real leather available. With a twist.

For the 3, and already for the 2, Polestar offers the option of what it calls ‘animal welfare leather’, sourced from UK company Bridge of Weir, which works exclusively with leather taken as a byproduct of the food industry – and only from livestock treated ethically from birth to slaughterhouse.

“We were really happy to be able to work with Bridge of Weir around the leather in Polestar 3, which is an amazing company in terms of sustainability ambition,” Klarén said.

“They have full traceability, down to the farm, and also they only have animals coming from the food industry – which means this is a byproduct to the food industry.”

This specially sourced leather won’t come cheap, however. In Australia, leather in the Polestar 3 will be priced from around $8000 (already available for $6000 in the 2), whereas leather usually adds around $3000-5000 to a purchase (depending on the grade and brand).

If neither option appeals, the Polestar 3 will also be offered with 100 per-cent traced wool upholstery.

All Polestar 3s will also feature a block of text on the backrest of each front seat, proudly declaring the carbon footprint of the material chosen.

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Klarén says that in the push to make vehicle manufacturing a sustainability-focused industry, Polestar wants to collaborate with other brands on innovation and setting standards – but, she adds, it can be difficult to break down barriers.

“This is bigger than Polestar, what we’re trying to achieve. We see that many other brands are doing amazing things. We know that there’s a lot of sustainability work ongoing within all car companies now. But we are in a very traditional system, so it’s very hard for us to talk to each other and collaborate – for very good reasons, it’s been heavily regulated in the car industry,” Klarén said.

“But now in this new era, we need to do like other industries – the fashion industry, and others, to really team up to combat the immense challenges we face, in the supply chain for example. So, that is a bit annoying, that we are stuck in this system, but we are trying to figure out how to get out of that.

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“Our Polestar 0 project is a good example of that, where we have been very outspoken about this top-down target we have set for ourselves. We don’t yet know how to reach it, but we’re inviting others to participate in this project. We’ve launched our third call to action a couple of weeks ago, and we’re seeing amazing interest from industry players and other OEMs, startups and so on. So, yeah, I have hopes that we will solve that as well.”

The Polestar 3 will go on sale in Australia in the first quarter of 2024, taking on the Audi E-Tron, the BMW iX, and the upcoming Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. Get our full reveal story at the link below.

“Expect to hear a lot more about the BZ4x for Australia over the next six months.”

Toyota claims its upcoming BZ4x, a RAV4-sized EV that’s expected for Australian release in the second half of 2023, is likely to be a much greater commercial success than its first mass-market hybrid – the Prius.

Speaking at the launch of the Toyota Corolla Cross, Sean Hanley, Vice President of sales, marketing and franchising, remained tight-lipped about exact numbers of BZ4x, and whether it would be able to generate as many sales leads as the Tesla Model Y did in September 2022, or the brand’s own stalwart RAV4.

“I still don’t have a concrete number yet, because we’re still a little way off launch but we certainly wouldn’t launch a car unless we had healthy stock,” he said.

“It would be speculation for us now to give you that number, because it would be purely speculation on my part.”

Hanley was confident, though, that Toyota will manage to shift more than 137 BZ4x of the (the number of original Prius’ sold between October-December 2001) in the electric SUV’s first year of sale.

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Is there BZ4x demand?

Toyota is a stalwart brand in the hybrid space, offering electrified versions of nearly all of its SUVs and passenger cars, so surely an EV is something to get excited about?

“Outside of these types of discussions [with media]… there’s been a little bit of interest”, Hanley said.

“We’ve got so many other cars at the moment being launched, whether they be the Corolla Cross, the GR86, GR Yaris, GR Corolla, but we’ll start to ramp up the awareness of [BZ4x] probably in the first half of next year.”

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But it is clear Hanley has high expectations of the brand’s new electric vehicle that is a twin-under-the-skin with the Subaru Solterra.

The BZ4x will be available with twin electric motors for AWD with peak power rated at 160kW and a 470 kilometre driving range (WLTP) from its 71.4kWh lithium-ion battery.

“We really didn’t want to ramp it up until we knew that we could get volume and get closer to a launch date. So we’re in that phase now. So you could expect to hear a lot more about the BZ4x for Australia over the next six months,” the boss added.

UPDATE, November 29: Mazda CX-60 Australian pricing

Full Australian details, including pricing and specs for the entire 2023 Mazda CX-60 line-up, has been announced today. Get all the details in the video below, or at the link above it, and continue reading here for our first international drive. Our first Australian drive will come soon.

Story continues: CX-8 and CX-9 may continue alongside CX-60 and future CX-90

The Mazda CX-8 and CX-9 large SUVs won’t necessarily be ousted from the company’s lineup if their electrified equivalents join the family, an exec has said.

Speaking exclusively to Wheels, Marketing Director Alastair Doak said there could be a place for everyone if the appetite was right – in the same way the CX-60 will be welcomed into the fold to sit alongside the best-selling CX-5 mid-sized SUV rather than replace it.

“If you can try and find the space in the market, the initial thought, the opportunity, then hopefully you can jump in there and do incredibly well. For example, things like the CX-50 in the US – they’ve probably tapped into a kind of an unmet need in that market. And the reaction to that has been incredibly positive over there,” he said.

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“I think we’ve said previously that we are always hungry for product. We have the broadest portfolio of product of all the major Mazda markets. And I guess we always go in with the attitude of ‘why can’t we sell this?’ rather than ‘why can we?’ There’s a subtle difference, but you’re always trying to make it work. You’re always trying to say what’s the opportunity with this? Even if it’s quite small and doesn’t make sense. That’s our attitude with all of the large architecture products – why can’t we make it work?

“We are still working through those things and hopefully we’ll have more to say on that sooner rather than later, but there’s lots of work going on around all of those products. In terms of the other ones [CX-8 and CX-9], I mean, they’re not direct replacements in theory, so if it makes sense to keep them in the portfolio and we have the opportunity to do that, then again we would.”

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From next year, Mazda will introduce the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80, and CX-90 SUVs across international markets – all of which will be part of the company’s all-new ‘Large Product’ portfolio.

While the Mazda CX-60 will be offered in Australia, the remaining three Large Product SUVs are still under consideration.

Mazda says while the CX-50, CX-70, and CX-90 are bound for North American markets – the latter two of which are considered ‘wide body’ models – the option still remains for those vehicles to also be offered to Australian buyers, if it finds there is a place for them in the brand’s local line-up.

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The Mazda CX-8 is currently the second-largest family SUV in Mazda’s Australian line-up.

Essentially a long-wheelbase version of the CX-5 midsized SUV, the CX-8 can seat seven passengers in a roomy and well-equipped cabin.

It’s narrower than Mazda’s other large SUV, the CX-9, but longer than most mid-size SUVs, which makes it easier to drive in the city but retains the flexibility of a third row of seats.

The CX-8 is the only Mazda seven-seater SUV to offer a choice of engines: a 2.5-litre petrol engine or a torquey 2.2-litre twin-turbo diesel.

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Petrol-powered versions of the Mazda CX-8 are front-wheel-drive, while the diesel is all-wheel-drive and offers more performance and better fuel economy.

The Mazda CX-8 was first introduced in 2017 as a Japan-only model, but was soon imported into Aussie showrooms in 2018, while the CX-9 has been around for a long time – the latest generation launching in 2016 and received a mild update in 2020.

Mazda’s CX-9 flagship SUV is the most expensive, but it also features the most space and is the best-equipped of the range.

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There’s seven seats (or six if opting for captain’s chairs), a single engine option (2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder) and you can have in front- or all-wheel-drive.

The CX-8 range starts from $45,069 for the FWD petrol Sport, while the CX-9 opens at $52,115 also for a FWD Sport – but this time with a turbo-petrol engine.

Powering the CX-90 in the US however, will be a choice of a new turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol engine, or a plug-in hybrid system. Meanwhile, the CX-80 – bound for other regions – will offer non-turbo SkyActiv-X petrol and turbo SkyActiv-D diesel inline-six engines with mild-hybrid systems, plus a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid and a regular four-cylinder petrol engine.

Occupying four of the top 10 best-selling vehicle slots for 2022, and ranking highly month-in-month-out, dual-cab utes are fast becoming popular family haulers as much as they are a typical tool of trade.But should they be? We’ve taken 11 of the latest top contenders and examined how family-friendly they are – looking at space, comfort, safety and how easy it is to fit a child seat.

Now, fitting child seats in dual-cab utes is a very tricky business. The three types of seat we had available here – a rear-facing capsule (for babies up to six/12 months), a convertible (0-4 years old), which can be used front- or rear-facing, and a booster (four to roughly seven) – did not have ISOFIX anchors, instead just using seatbelts and top tether straps to hold them in place.

ON TEST

• Ford Ranger XLT 4cyl
• Ford Ranger Sport V6
• GWM Ute Cannon-X
• Isuzu D-Max LS-U
• LDV T60 Max Luxe
• Mazda BT-50 GT
• Mitsubishi Triton GLX+
• Mitsubishi Triton GSR
• Nissan Navara Pro-4X
• SsangYong Musso XLV Ultimate
• Toyota HiLux SR5

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Before we even got started on our testing, we consulted the good folks over at Baby Bunting about how these vehicles differ from passenger cars and SUVs – because crikey do they ever.

The most obvious way is that they have a tub instead of a boot, which is great for transporting everything you own for a driving holiday – but almost useless if you just have the normal daily essentials, such as a pram or shopping bags. Because they just don’t tie down easily, the result is that they get thrown around, bashing up both them and the paintwork.

More importantly, in terms of fitting child seats, the lack of access to a boot to adjust a top tether is a nightmare because it makes the entire process incredibly difficult, frustrating, time-consuming and – in some cases – almost impossible to fit safely for the average person.

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Getting the leverage to pull the strap tight enough is harder in some than others due to factors including the second-row seats’ positioning in relation to the door frame, tight spaces that make it easy for the top tether strap to get twisted when it should be flat, and whether or not the second row is split or comes forward as one.

The only ute in this pack to have a split rear row was the GWM Cannon-X, which divides 60:40 as many cars do, a huge plus because it means that you don’t need to unhook or adjust one child seat to be able to put in or take out another. Then depending on the ute, you’ll find either two or three top tether anchor points – but their location will not always be immediately obvious.

Some, as in the Toyota HiLux and Mazda BT-50, have fabric ‘webbing’ loops above each outboard seat, through which the tether needs to pass to reach a metal hook in the middle. Once you have found them, the rest is pretty straightforward (by ute standards of course; a car would still be much simpler).

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The Nissan Navara has three such loops to pass the top tether strap through and no metal fixture at all. While Nissan says this means three child seats can be fitted, Baby Bunting disputes this and would not recommend installing more than two. The only vehicle in our pack to have three metal fixtures was the SsangYong Musso.

Most of the vehicles on test have two metal top tether anchorages hiding behind the second row, requiring the whole backrest to be brought forward to access them, which is a pain in practice. It is worth noting that only the Musso did so using a lever – the rest just had a little fabric strap to yank.

In fact, during testing we had to consult the user manual in three vehicles just to make sure we absolutely had found the right place for the top tether to attach.

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Some also have built-in or non-adjustable headrests, so you couldn’t put the top tether strap through or around it if you tried.

The good news though is that all dual-cabs tested here are fitted with ISOFIX anchor points in the second-row seats. However, they can, as with cars, be hard to locate.

Baby Bunting recommends that you always seek professional advice when travelling with children. Making the correct judgments around what is the most appropriate way to protect the most precious of cargo is vital.

To find out more about which types of child seats are available, visit Baby Bunting here.

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THE VERDICT

Our winner for family duties was the HiLux SR5 because, quite simply, getting the child seats in it was the easiest and they felt most secure. It also had the largest amount of space for an adult sitting in the middle between two child seats, a decent amount of room in the door for drinks and toys, and our test vehicle was fitted with easily wipeable optional leather upholstery.

Its only letdowns were a slightly high transmission tunnel that robs some space in the footwell and that those fabric webbing loops could be subject to wear over time since they’re not as robust as metal.

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Offering a split rear row was one of the reasons the GWM scored so highly in second – as well as offering lots of space in the doors, USB ports and pockets for rear passengers, and as well as good legroom, while the LDV T60 was just behind it for similar reasons, minus the divided seat.

Mazda and Isuzu’s BT-50 and D-Max twins were capable all-rounders but rear legroom was a little more snug and door space was restricted to just a drink bottle only.

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The two Rangers sat in the middle of the pack because, although they excel in many other fields and had some handy features like decent space in the door cards, there were a few let-downs, such as a lack of rear legroom (including a high transmission tunnel making things a bit more cramped in the middle), and restricted door space – with the most problematic issue being how awkward it is to fit child seats due to difficult-to-reach top tether anchorages.

It was almost impossible to fit a rear-facing seat for a newborn securely enough without getting a professional to do it each time. Also, the XLT doesn’t get pockets on the front seatbacks and its very basic cloth interior wouldn’t be wipe-down friendly.

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Similarly, the Triton pair had a high transmission tunnel with only satisfactory rear legroom, with the front seats needing to come fairly far forward to accommodate rear-facing child seats. The door cards too didn’t offer much space, and again the top tether anchorages were hard to reach.

While the GSR was the better of the two with softer leather seats compared to the basic and cheap-feeling fabric trim of the GLX+, both felt quite uncomfortable to sit on as an adult passenger in the middle of the second row and gave a feeling of being squished when child seats were fitted either side.

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Bringing up the rear was the Navara Pro-4X, in the main because the top tether anchorage system was so user-unfriendly. Room for tightening was poor, awkward adjustment meant the straps got all twisted up and having solely fabric loops made it more likely to wear over time. We also couldn’t get a rear-facing seat in securely enough at all.

It won points for a good door aperture, low transmission tunnel and space in the doors.

An honourable/dishonourable mention has to go to the Musso, which was the only vehicle with three metal top tether anchors, a lever-adjusted back row, a sunroof, large doors that both open wide and fit lots in, and features like heated rear seats, leather upholstery and map pockets on both sides.

But, and it’s a big but, the middle seat comes only with a lap belt, which in our mind felt both unsafe and outdated.

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The upshot is that, if we were to buy any of these dual-cabs, we’d opt for an ISOFIX-compatible seat because, if fitted correctly, it offers us peace of mind over having to constantly ensure a seatbelt is tight enough, or to be absolutely sure we’d have it installed by a professional.

The friendly and experienced team at Baby Bunting offers an accredited installation service at all its stores across Australia and New Zealand.

Find out more at babybunting.com.au/car-seat-installation