The 2022 Audi SQ7 and SQ8 have dropped diesel, with the two performance SUVs switching to petrol power in the new year.

Audi has confirmed the SQ7 and SQ8 will both adopt 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol TFSI V8 powertrains, sending 373kW and 770Nm to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The new engine replaces the outgoing 4.0-litre twin-turbo diesel TDI V8, which developed 320kW and 900Nm.

While the new petrol models will reach 100km/h from a standstill in 4.1 seconds – 0.7 seconds quicker than the outgoing variants – fuel consumption increases by around 60 per cent.

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It seems the twin-turbo diesel V8 is being retired for good, with the Volkswagen Touareg R-Line dropping the engine in favour of a plug-in hybrid twin-turbo V6.

Porsche axed the diesel V8 from its Panamera line-up in 2017, while Audi pulled it from the A8 at the same time. The Bentley Bentayga used a version of the engine up until 2020.

A spokesperson for Audi Australia told Wheels further details would be announced closer to launch, with both models set to arrive in the first half of 2022.

Labor claims it will commit to reducing carbon emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 and aims to get 3.8 million electric vehicles on the road by the same time if it wins the next federal election.

On top of this – the party says it will boost Australia’s charging network by investing in more than 100,000 facilities for businesses, 3.8 million for households and 1800 new, publicly accessible, fast chargers nationwide in order to reach 99 per cent of the population.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese made the statement in Canberra on Friday afternoon as part of Labor’s wider Powering Australia policy.

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Among the details released by the Opposition are; plans to make electric vehicles cheaper by offering discounts and implementing Australia’s first national EV strategy, upgrading the electricity grid to fix energy transmission and drive down power prices, and establishing a real-world vehicle fuel testing program to inform consumer choice.

According to the policy outline document, there will be a $251 million investment to fund discounts for EVs and to remove “inefficient taxes from low-emission vehicles” – namely that they will be exempt from paying fringe benefits tax (FBT) if they fall below the luxury car tax threshold, and the five per cent import tariff will be removed where it is still paid.

Party boffins have calculated that taking such measures could reduce the sticker price of a Nissan Leaf by as much as $8700, a Hyundai Kona by $10,600 or a Tesla Model 3 by $12,000.

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All relevant properties which the Commonwealth owns, or leases, would be fitted with appropriate charging infrastructure under the plans, and there will also be the implementation of an EV target for the Commonwealth fleet, the party said today.

Additionally Labor intends to improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure by requiring Commonwealth-funded road upgrades to incorporate facilities where appropriate, and to review the National Construction Code.

Labor’s 43 per cent target exceeds the coalition’s aim of a 30-35 per cent reduction based on 2005 levels by 2030, announced in October by Prime Minister Scott Morrison ahead of the COP26 climate summit, and is significantly greater than the official national goal of 26-28 per cent currently in place.

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At the time, Morrison outlined the details of his Government’s net zero by 2050 plan – which did not include a specific commitment to phase out cars powered by fossil-fuels.

The Government’s plan also did not go as far as to commit to a dedicated automotive CO2 reduction goal and was panned by industry figures.

However, neither of these has been included in Labor’s plans either.

At the conclusion of the international conference, Australia signed an international request for countries to strengthen their 2030 emissions reduction goals by next year.

“Less than a month after the biggest climate conference in world history Australia has been asked to try again when it comes to climate policy, after being ranked last in the world,” Albanese told media today.

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“The Morrison Government is unable and unwilling to rise to this challenge. Labor will, and as we do, we will create jobs, economic opportunities across Regional Australia and cheap power.”

The Electric Vehicle Council welcomed Labor’s announcement today, saying it was “taking solid steps towards realising the massive benefits electric vehicles present for Australia” and a “national EV strategy is well overdue”.

“It’s refreshing to hear a federal political party recognise the massive potential electric vehicles provide for Australia and start to outline a plan to realise those benefits,” said CEO Behyad Jafari on Twitter.

Industry body the Federal Chamber for Automotive Industries (FCAI) said today’s news was “a step forward in the policy discussion” but that a dedicated CO2 vehicle emissions standard “would send a stronger signal”.

“Australia is lagging the rest of the world when it comes to a long-term vision for the continued penetration of low emission vehicles,” said Chief Executive Tony Weber.

“The automotive sector has seen around the world that strong signals around targets, good infrastructure policy and incentives from national governments contribute to positive outcomes on low emission vehicle introduction.”

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“Signals like this can encourage global car brands to increase the choice of low emission vehicles available in our market, which in turn increases the adoption of electrified vehicles available to customers. However, a CO2 vehicle emissions standard would send a stronger one.“The issue of emissions also remains critical for the issue, and we are keen to ensure future federal governments maintain a focus on improving fuel quality and a progression towards Euro 6 emissions standards.“We will be pleased to work alongside any government in its efforts to introduce positive policy directions for the increase of the best technology vehicles that are available to Australians.”

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Rob Law, CEO for the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, told Wheels he believes the ALP should be more ambitious with its approach.

“The ALP is trying to make itself a small target by adopting a small target. It might work as a political strategy – but it doesn’t work as a climate strategy.

“Even the Business Council of Australia has a higher target of 50 per cent, which recognises the economic opportunities Australia could realise from being more ambitious this decade.”

So far this year, 72,302 low emission vehicles have been registered in Australia, made up of fully-electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen cars.

The global semiconductor shortage continues to hinder Australian sales, as the local market posted its worst November result since the global financial crisis-afflicted 2008.

November registrations reached 80,639 according to official industry figures, down on the 95,205 units sold in the same month last year despite Australia starting to reopen after nationwide pandemic lockdowns.

Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia were the most affected states, each experiencing a 20 per cent decline on November 2020 sales.

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New South Wales registrations dropped by nine per cent, while the Australian Capital Territory had the smallest decrease (down three per cent).

“Demand across the sector remains strong with the drop in sales reflecting well-recognised international supply chain issues,” said Tony Weber, chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.

“This includes constraints around microprocessor supplies as well as the ongoing impact of the pandemic restricting factories.

“Carmakers are competing with many other sectors, such as white-goods manufacturers, for microprocessors across the globe. Some new vehicles sold in the Australian market can require up to 3000 of these parts, so this shortage is definitely being felt by the industry.”

SUVs again accounted for about half of sales, with light commercial vehicles taking a 25 per cent share.

Most vehicle segments decreased compared with November 2020, including last month’s five most popular categories.

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4×4 utes was the number one segment, with 14,273 units followed by medium SUVs (13,967 units), small SUVs (11,064), large SUVs (10,191) and small cars (7617).

Four segments posted year-on-year growth, with micro cars (up 137 per cent) leading people-movers (up 62 per cent), 4×2 utes (up 14 per cent), and light SUVs (up six per cent).

The Ford Ranger was the most popular vehicle for the third consecutive month, pipping the arch-rival Toyota HiLux by 201 units.

Toyota maintained its dominant number one status even though sales plummeted by a third compared with November 2020.

Despite the supply issues, the Australian new-car market is set to return to one-million-plus annual sales after 2020’s pandemic-induced blip. Year-to-date sales stand at 971,429 with one month remaining. December is traditionally a strong sales month owing to end-of-year offers.

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Top 10 models

The Ford Ranger seems to be giving everything it has got to displace the Toyota HiLux as Australia’s favourite vehicle, with the locally developed ute reeling off a hat-trick of monthly victories across September, October and November.

November’s margin was only 201 units, however, and the HiLux’s year-to-date lead of almost 3000 units looks insurmountable with just one month of 2021 left.

Ranger prospects are also caught between the temptation of strong run-out deals and the all-new model revealed in November ahead of its 2022 release.

There were two ute surprises in November.

Nissan’s Navara, helped by a 44 per cent month-on-month increase, was the sixth best-selling model – only the fourth time a Nissan has landed in the top 10 this year. Each previous occasion involved the X-Trail SUV (Jan, Mar and Oct).

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And for the first time in 2021, the Isuzu D-Max failed to make a monthly top 10 – hurt by a 41 per cent drop for its 4×4 variant.

The Hyundai i30 small car achieved its best position of the year so far, claiming third spot in November just ahead of another permanent top 10 resident and rival, the Toyota Corolla.

Mitsubishi’s new-generation Outlander SUV has made a positive start, placing seventh in November. It’s only the third top 10 for the nameplate this year. The Japanese brand’s long-running ASX compact SUV continues to defy its age, appearing in the list for a fifth month.

MG’s compact SUV, the ZS, managed its third visit with an increase of nearly 40 per cent on November 2020, matching its ninth place also achieved in August.

After being a slightly conspicuous absentee from the best-sellers list for most of the year, the Hyundai Tucson mid-size SUV scored its second-consecutive placing in the chart despite a month-on-month decline of 23 per cent.

Toyota’s Kluger seven-seater SUV just missed out on a spot, with a remarkable 209 per cent increase in sales compared with November 2020 taking it to 1466 units.

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Top 10 models: November 2021

Top 10 models: 2021 year to date

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Top 10 brands

Toyota sales shrank by more than a third compared with November 2020 yet were comfortably ahead of its nearest rival.

That has traditionally been Mazda, but the Japanese brand suffered a 42 per cent month-on-month decline to slip to fifth place.

For the second consecutive month, Hyundai occupied second place in the top 10 manufacturers’ list.

Ford, again almost purely on the strength of Ranger and Everest sales, secured the last place on the podium – its fifth third place of 2021.

Mitsubishi was one of the rare top 10 regulars to post some growth, albeit just four per cent.

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November’s standout brand was MG, which scored its highest placing of 2021 so far. Seventh place came courtesy of an 85 per cent increase in sales compared with this time last year.

Toyota has now surpassed 200,000 sales for the year, while Mazda’s second place in the annual sales race is easily secure.

The battle for third place is still open, however, with Hyundai leading Ford by less than 1200 units.

Kia and Mitsubishi aren’t too far behind, and there’s also a tight battle between Nissan and Volkswagen for seventh.

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Top 10 brands: November 2021

Top 10 brands: 2021 year to date

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In charts

November 2021 – Top 10 models

November 2021 – YTD sales top 10

November 2021 – Overall segment sales

November 2021-2020 category sales

November 2021-2020 YTD category sales

2021 YTD model sales race

The curtains have dropped on the highly-anticipated Gen3-spec Supercars ahead of their racing debut at the first round of the 2023 Supercars Championship.

Cars are scheduled for testing throughout 2022, but new regulations seek to increase the link between the racing cars and their road-going counterparts, whilst reducing running costs and fostering closer on-track action by way of drastic aero reductions.

We will be bringing you a full technical deep dive on both cars, with racing engineer insight, in the January edition of MOTOR (on sale December 30), but there’s plenty more to get excited about.

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Visually, you can immediately see a closer relationship to their road-going counterparts (especially, the Mustang), sharing basic dimensions and architecture hardpoints.

Aerodynamics have been significantly cut for the new-generation, with shorter front splitters and a more conventional wing mounted in place of the current box-style units. Indeed, these cars are very different beasts that will be both more difficult to drive and more exciting to watch.

The Gen3 Ford Mustang’s homologation was carried out by Dick Johnson Racing in conjunction with Ford Performance, while Team Triple Eight is responsible for the GM Racing’s Camaro.

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Both racers bring new production-based engines with them, with Ford enlisting a 5.4-litre Coyote V8 while GM employs a 5.7-litre LTR V8. Development was carried out locally by Mostech Race Engines and KRE Race Engines, respectively.

Punters at Bathurst this weekend will be treated to the first sight of the Gen3 cars on track, with both cars due to perform a number of display laps, at the hands of current Supercars drivers, across Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

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“These are incredible looking race cars and it’s an historic occasion to be here today, unveiling them at the foot of Mount Panorama, our spiritual home of racing. Both the Mustang and Camaro give a nod to the Supercars of the past, with as much attention given to the design and appearance of the cars as the new technologies” said Sean Seamer, CEO of Supercars Australia.

“This is the first chapter of our new era that will be cost-effective for our major stakeholders and teams but remain the very core of our success – terrific and exciting Supercar racing, which is what our fans have been asking us for”.

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The 2023 Lexus RZ electric SUV will make its debut in the first half of next year, the company has announced.

The RZ is the first pure-electric model from Lexus, underpinned by the same e-TNGA platform as the recently-unveiled Toyota BZ4X and Subaru Solterra.

Though the exact model name has yet to be confirmed, the carmaker has trademarked the ‘RZ 450e’ badge in Australia.

While full details of the new Lexus will be revealed at its unveiling, it’s expected the model could adopt the 90kWh battery pack previewed in the LF-Z concept earlier this year, likely powering dual 150kW electric motors for a combined output of 300kW.

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A claimed driving range of between 500 and 600 kilometres on a single charge is expected, although real-world figures will likely be lower.

The RZ closely resembles the LF-Z concept, adapting the company’s design language to help differentiate the model from its Toyota counterpart.

A gloss black C-pillar creates the illusion of wrap-around rear glass, while the black plastic cladding around the wheel arches appears to be a design feature shared with the Toyota.

The 2023 Lexus RZ will be unveiled in the first half of 2022.

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December 3, 2021: A new, more revealing teaser image of the upcoming 2022 Polestar 3 electric SUV has been released today.

An Australian launch for the Polestar 3 is confirmed – in so much as Polestar has announced it will offer every model in every market it operates in – but timing is still to be revealed.

Unlike the exclusively China-built Polestar 2, the 3 will also be built in the US – at the company’s Charleston, South Carolina plant. Where Australia-bound cars will originate is unclear, although China would seem likely.

Our coverage continues below.

The story to here

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September 30: The new Polestar 3 will extend the Swedish EV maker’s range upwards when it launches next year.

CEO Thomas Ingenlath told CAR magazine it would compete against cars like the Porsche Cayenne in the £65,000 ($121,500) price bracket with a footprint matching that of the next-generation Volvo XC90, its sister car.

“For a European car those are big dimensions, though in China that is not considered to be big,” he said. “Shape-wise, it has nothing to do with the XC90. It’s sleeker, more aerodynamic. I don’t like the word ‘sporty’ but it’s a car with an incredible stance and power on the road and it’s clearly in that Cayenne-type SUV segment.”

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Ingenlath promised that the new Polestar 3 would be “very aspirational” with a stylish, minimalist interior and a drivetrain that would deliver effortless performance, a cornerstone of the progressive EV brand.

He also said the new 3 would kickstart an era of sleeker SUVs. “The SUV market will change: it makes no sense to have high wind resistance on electric SUVs, aerodynamics will become more important,” he added.

Ingenlath was talking as Polestar announced plans to float on the Nasdaq stock exchange, in a deal that values the Swedish firm at around $20 billion. The funding raised will help finance the next three models waiting in the wings (revealed below), as it aims to increase annual production ten-fold from 29,000 forecast for 2021 to 290,000 by 2025.

Polestar 3 electric SUV: what we know so far

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Polestar’s next model has already been teased in an official hand-out photograph revealing its silhouette under a cloth. The company confirmed that the 3 SUV will be built at Volvo’s factory in Ridgeville, South Carolina, with production starting in 2022. The plant was opened in 2018, with the current S60 saloon being the first model to roll off the production line there.

The Polestar 3 will use Volvo Car Group’s new battery-electric platform “which has been designed from scratch for full electrification”. This isn’t the platform which currently underpins the Polestar 2, but it’s understood that this new BEV architecture will also be the basis for the next-generation Volvo XC90.

Polestar has also confirmed that the new 3 will also use Google’s Android Automotive OS, as expected, which will ‘feature industry-leading connectivity features.’

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‘Polestar 3 will be built in America, for our American customers,’ said Ingenlath (above). ‘From now on, the USA is no longer an export market but a home market.’

Given the decision to produce the 3 in the USA, Polestar has also announced it will market its cars through so-called ‘Spaces’ – retail areas much like dealerships, but in more urban environments – as it continues to ramp up its distribution network in more countries globally.

Earlier this year the Volvo spin-off announced the Polestar 2 line-up for 2021 – offering three powertrains for the EV with a driving range of 540km, which is due to land in Europe this month and on Australian shores by November when the brand officially launches here.

Stay tuned for more details on the 3 and whether the model, and its price point, will be confirmed for Australia.

A version of this story was originally published by CAR Magazine in the UK.

BMW has released teaser images of the 2023 i7, confirming an electric version of the all-new 7 Series luxury sedan will join the BMW i sub-brand.

The disguised prototypes seen here were snapped during suspension tuning at BMW’s winter testing facility in Arjeplog, Sweden, positioned just below the Arctic Circle.

BMW says its engineers are using the frozen surfaces and snow-covered roads to test the electric sedan’s ability to withstand freezing climates, in addition to evaluating the driving dynamics of the i7.

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The German company claims the i7 is the ‘world’s first all-electric luxury sedan’, although it will compete against the Mercedes-Benz EQS globally and the Lucid Air in the United States.

It will also go up against the smaller Audi E-Tron GT, Mercedes-Benz EQE, Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S electric sedans.

Sharing the bulk of its design with the next-generation 7 Series, the i7 features a limousine-like body with traditional three-box sedan proportions and a long wheelbase.

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Design-wise, the camouflage makes it difficult to discern the finer details of the i7’s styling, but a pair of lower, horizontally-orientated, headlights can be seen. These will likely matched to a slim daytime running lamp strip positioned higher up – similar in nature to the forthcoming XM performance SUV.

There is also a thin set of air intakes below the headlights, as well as a larger ‘kidney’ grille with a more-reserved design in comparison to some of BMW’s other fresh reveals.

The brand’s iconic Hofmeister kink has been retained in the C-pillar, while a set of flush door handles similar to the iX will feature.

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Inside, both the i7 and 7 Series are expected to pick up a cabin design akin to the iX, which is headlined by a curved dash featuring a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch infotainment system running BMW’s latest iDrive 8 user interface.

BMW has confirmed the i7 will ride on the same cluster architecture (CLAR) – first debuted on the current-generation 7 Series – as its internal-combustion twin, with the scalable platform also underpinning the electric i4 and iX models.

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In addition, BMW says the i7 will utilise the fifth-generation version of the brand’s eDrive technology, as seen in the iX crossover. No powertrain details have been released, however the iX is available with three powertrain options: xDrive40, xDrive50 and the flagship M60.

In mid-range xDrive50 configuration, the iX produces 385kW of power and 765Nm and torque, allowing for a 0-100km/h time of 4.6 seconds and a claimed driving range of around 630 kilometres.

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Stepping up to the flagship performance-orientated iX M60 boosts power outputs to 440kW, with full details yet to be announced.

These two powertrains are expected to sit underneath the i7, with the lower-slung design of the electric sedan likely allowing for additional driving range.

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BMW is expected to unveil the 2023 i7 in the coming months, with the flagship electric sedan likely to enter production before the end of 2022 alongside its internal-combustion 7 Series twin.

Both the 2021 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks have been placed under recall due to the risk of an electrical fire in the engine bay.

The notice, issued by the Department for Infrastructure, states the “intake air heater relay may experience an electrical short”, and that the problem can even occur when the ignition is switched off.

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If the short does occur, there is a serious risk that the vehicle could catch on fire even when it is not in use.

The recall states that 373 vehicles could be affected by the issue. However, only 39 of those have been delivered to customers so far, with the remainder being repaired before they’ve even been converted from left- to right-hand drive or sold.

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Owners are urged to contact their local Ram dealership, which will fix the issue free of charge.

You can find the official recall notice with the full list of affected VINs here.

What do you do with a problem like the performance SUV? It is a conundrum that motoring enthusiasts and manufacturers alike need to grapple. For enthusiasts, they are perceived as an unfortunate but necessary evil – an inherently compromised product that needs to be made and sold so that manufacturers can build the low-margin cars we all love. For car companies, the genre can at first seem like a licence to print money. But get it wrong, and you’ll squander all that consumer good-will for nothing.

This is compounded by the fact that through its very nature a performance SUV falls afoul of the unbending laws of physics. Writers love to proclaim that a vehicle defies physics – hell, even I’ve been guilty of this transgression – but idioms aside the fact is you can’t cheat reality. A car with a higher centre of gravity is dealing with an inherit, undeniable disadvantage of reality. So, how do you solve the problem?

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If you are Hyundai, you lean into that fact, which it has done so impressively with its first performance SUV, the Kona N. The basics of the Kona N will be familiar, even if this is an all-new model. Using the chassis of the Kona SUV, it is fitted with the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder from the i30 N, sending 206kW and 392Nm to the front wheels exclusively via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Compared to the N-Line, the full-fat N is 10mm lower to the ground. It has a 20mm wider front track and 7mm wider rear track thanks to changes in the suspension geometry, namely redesigned steering knuckles. The Kona N also receives additional reinforcement to the chassis, with extra welds on the A-, B-, and C-pillars for improved body stiffness, with additional structures also added to the chassis tunnel and strut tops.

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Instead of focusing on trying to work around the baked-in compromises of being an SUV, Hyundai has used it to its advantage to create something that is more fun than fast. That said, this is still a quick vehicle, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 5.5 seconds using launch control.

Rather than seeing the longer suspension travel of the SUV as a disadvantage, Hyundai’s ride and handling engineers have used the additional stroke and adaptive dampers to widen the ability bandwidth of the Kona N. In its comfort settings it plays the part of a small SUV commuter with ease. While firmer than a standard Kona, the N is perfectly acceptable for day-to-day duties. Stiffen up the suspension though and the talent in the engineering pool shines through. While spring rates have increased front and rear overall compared to its N-Line variant, the boffins were able to tune the Kona N’s Electronically Controlled Suspension (ECS) to have a softer initial moment of travel before increasing exponentially as the wheel begins to move further. Essentially this allows the Kona N to have the composure of the i30 N during aggressive driving, without skipping and juddering over bumps.

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Adaptive dampers help emphasise the Kona N’s split personality. Leave everything in comfort and its an amenable daily driver where the eight-speed auto slips between ratios subtly, the exhaust doesn’t crackle and pop with abandon, and the suspension soaks up the speed bumps and potholes we have become used to in urban settings. For dynamic driving the middle of the three suspension settings is the sweet spot.

This isn’t a wilting flower either, during the launch event the Kona N was put to the test on an extensive road loop, before spending an entire day being punished on track at Wakefield Park. Perhaps the most impressive part of the whole two-day campaign was the brakes, which were well and truly up to the task of extended hard driving. Weighing in at 1510kg, the Kona still has plenty of heft, but it puts on pace with ease. The 360mm vented rotors up front (55mm larger than the standard Kona) and 314mm vented items at the rear scrub off speed impressively. There is a good feel to the pedal, which isn’t artificially over-servo’d, and provides nice feedback on heavy applications. Extra air is dumped onto the brakes via cooling ducts mounted on the lower control arms to help keep temperatures in check.

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Other than the ride height and track, the Kona N shares the same dimensions as its more pedestrian variants, meaning it has a 50mm shorter wheelbase than the i30 N hatch. It uses this to its advantage, rotating eagerly throughout the cornering process on track, and darting sharply on tip-in on road. You are kept well-informed of proceedings via the rack-mounted motor-driven power steering system which provides fantastic feedback. While perhaps ever so slightly lighter than we would like, you can’t accuse the Kona N’s steering of being numb. The rack is direct and accurate, with a quick 2.2 turns lock-to-lock.

The powertrain of the Kona N doesn’t break any new ground compared to the i30 N, and that’s a good thing. You still get a fat peak torque band that sends all 392Nm to the 235/40 R19 Pirelli P Zero tyres (which are great on track, but loud on road) between 2100-4700rpm. It revs hard, and if the 206kW peak figure doesn’t entirely float your boat, 213kW becomes available for 20 seconds using the cringely named N Grin Shift button on the steering wheel. Think of it as a push-to-pass, which primes the entire drivetrain into maximum attack for 20 seconds. You get the same theatrical exhaust pops and bangs as the i30, and the two customisable N mode buttons on the steering wheel mean your favourite settings are never more than a flick of the thumb away.

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A highlight of the entire package is the electronically controlled, mechanical limited-slip differential. It is the jewel in the crown that is the Kona N’s front-end. The diff is competent at putting power to the ground on corner exit, and we only encountered torque steer on the roughest of road surfaces. Such is the ability of the e-diff that you can begin applying throttle much earlier in the corner than you might first expect, and your foot will be pressed against the firewall long before all four wheels are pointed in a straight line.

The eight-speed dual-clutch is impressively smooth in Normal mode and intuitive in Sport. You can take control of shifts in Manual mode using the paddle shifters, but the ’box is clever enough that you can leave it to its own devises.

The stability control has three stages – Normal, Sport, and off. Be sensible and keep it in Normal for road use, but if you take the Kona N to the track make sure to switch things to Sport. This allows the vehicle to let its rascal personality fly free, offering you plenty of lateral movement without any electronic intervention.

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Along with all the performance, you still get SUV practicalities. The higher ride height means you won’t be stressed about bottoming the front lip on nasty driveways, the boot is on-par with the small SUV norm at 361 litres. However, the rear seats are a touch small for taller adults.

The entry-level Kona N costs $47,500 plus on-roads. Don’t think Hyundai have skimped on the equipment. While you get cloth seats instead of the more expensive Premium’s suede and leather combo trim, we preferred the base model’s units, while the steering wheel, handbrake lever (yes, you get an honest larrikin-spec manual handbrake), and gear selector are all wrapped in cow hide. The full SmartSense safety suite is standard on each N variant, along with the dual 10.25-inch LCD infotainment and instrument screens. LED lighting, push-button start, rain sensing wipers and climate control also feature free of extra cost.

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Stepping up to the $50,500 Kona N Premium adds the aforementioned seats which are heated, ventilated and power adjustable for front occupants, a head-up display, heated steering wheel, front parking sensors, sunroof, ambient lighting and an electrochromic rear view mirror. One of our biggest criticisms of the Kona is that even in the Premium, the cabin is heavily proliferated with scratchy hard plastics which might turn off buyers wanting something a bit more, well, premium.

It’s a small concern though, particularly when you get back to the actual act of driving the Kona N. In almost every setting it is an endearing and charming thing. Hyundai’s N division has, once again, nailed the brief. A short-sighted or ill-informed assessment of the Kona N might simply state that it is a performance SUV ergo it must be less fun to drive than its hatch sibling. Not so. If we were to pick a car from the N line-up to drive not for outright speed, but laughs, it’d be the Kona N. The fact that there is an i20 N, i30 N hatch, and soon i30 N sedan in the Hyundai performance family, means the Kona is free to play in a realm where enjoyment, not outright speed, is king.

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You can take a Kona N to a track and lay down an impressive lap time. In fact, the reduced wheelbase means that on certain tight and twisting circuits it may very well be on par or quicker than its i30 N hatch sibling. But you don’t buy the Kona N to build a track weapon; you buy it because you want to have fun. Great big lift-off oversteer, cock a rear wheel, can’t wipe the smile off your face fun.

Before you sneer at its SUV proportions, give the Kona N a chance. It’ll be worth your time.

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2022 Hyundai Kona N specifications

I remember seeing the exact car pictured here – a manual-steer 1.6-litre NA MX-5, painted in the glamour launch colour, Mariner Blue – proudly gracing the showroom of our local Mazda dealer like a jewel glittering among swathes of beige.

Only the also-new BG-series 323 Astina with its pop-up headlights looked even vaguely on the same page as the curvaceously petite roadster. Alongside the boxy 626s and 929s of the era, however, not to mention the (also blue) 121 my mum ended up driving home, the MX-5 seemed outrageously, exquisitely exotic.

Yet underneath those Lotus Elan-inspired curves, the NA MX-5 was a relatively simple thing, much like the plethora of vintage roadsters that clearly inspired it. Except that the Japanese take on a British institution – a rear-drive, open-top two-seater – was actually good! Seriously good.

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When the MX-5 debuted to a wildly enthusiastic audience in February 1989, the ‘affordable roadster’ hadn’t been dead that long. Both the MGB and Triumph Spitfire had creaked to their graves in 1980, and while the Alfa Spider was still in production, it was seriously ancient – 23 years old at that stage – and barely breathing. Not surprisingly, Mazda’s interpretation was decades ahead, and because it was so right to begin with, it still feels relatively modern.

The genesis of the MX-5 (or Miata, or Eunos Roadster, depending on where you live) began in 1978 during a conversation between Mazda’s then-chief engineer Kenichi Yamamoto and our very own Bob Hall, who worked at Wheels for almost a decade (until the early 2000s) but at the time was writing for Autoweek magazine in LA.

Hall planted a seed in Yamamoto-san’s brain by suggesting that Mazda should try its hand at a simple, affordable, sports roadster. Three years later, with Yamamoto as Mazda’s president, Hall joined the product-planning department and the journey towards developing a vehicle concept began.

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By 1983, Mazda’s three main design centres (Hiroshima, Tokyo, and a brand-new studio in Irvine, California) were in direct competition with each other conceptualising what this roadster should be, with ideas spanning ultra-modern and front-drive (Hiroshima), much like the new Honda CRX, to mid-engined and rear-drive (Tokyo), like Toyota’s MR2. The Californian team, however, stuck to Hall’s original principle of a lightweight, front-engined sports car with rear-drive, which became the winning formula.

Tellingly, early photos show the first MX-5 prototype parked next to both a Triumph Spitfire 1500 and a Lotus Elan out on public roads in southern California, proving the British conceptual connection was indeed real, but they also show an oval front air intake – a design feature that would survive all the way to MX-5 production five years later.

This focus on soft-edged, organic forms was in complete contrast to the high-tech, ultra-trendy geometric designs of the time – the poster child being the super-cool (but also peak-80s) original W10 MR2 of 1984 – but Mazda’s designers felt the MX-5 needed to have an everlasting visual appeal.

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“The [MX-5] Miata design had to be timeless and classic, which was essential in the initial concept,” wrote designer Mark Jordan in the US Miata magazine, very early in the NA MX-5’s life. “The design would have to wear well for at least 10 years and in the long run would have to get better with age.”

Yet the MX-5 project was far from a done deal. Many inside Mazda, including people in high-ranking positions, felt it simply wasn’t worth the effort and that the development funds were better spent elsewhere. But an equal number were very passionate about the car and could see its global potential.

Final approval eventually came in January 1986, after president Kenichi Yamamoto quietly encouraged every executive on the board of directors to give the project a green light. A final clay model was produced by combining the best aspects of the original 1984 design and a 1985 follow-up (characterised by its lower body height), and once this design was approved, it was sent to Japan to be refined into the production model, all under the direction of program manager Toshihiko Hirai.

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As for the hardware underneath this lithe, sporting wrapping, Mazda initially tried to adapt the AWD 323/Familia’s independent rear end and differential, mated to an RX-7 gearbox, but the 323 suspension wasn’t low enough for the MX-5’s lean shape. This resulted in completely bespoke suspension architecture that would become the centrepiece of the MX-5’s excellence.

The brief was to produce a brilliant-handling sports car that could also serve as an effective race car, so a double-wishbone set-up – unequal-length wishbones up front with coil-over dampers, and upper A-arms with lower H-arms at the rear, also with coil-over dampers – was connected to front and rear subframes that were rubber-mounted to the body to reduce harshness, without affecting the car’s precision.

Riding on humble 185/60R14 tyres (with 14×5.5-inch alloys standard in Australia), the MX-5 did indeed offer a surprisingly liveable ride but it was the car’s balance and dynamic harmony that gifted it the accolades it so richly deserved. Its static weight distribution was 52/48 front-to-rear, but with two average-sized occupants, the NA MX-5 had almost bang-on 50/50 balance.

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Combined with a feelsome manual steering system – a rigid rack running in needle roller yokes for reduced friction – with 3.3 turns lock-to-lock spanning a super-tight 9.3m turning circle, the MX-5 finally realised the promise of all the flawed roadsters that inspired it. A power-steered set-up arrived later in Australia, reducing steering effort to 2.8 turns, but the manual set-up has long been the purist preference. It’s the definition of everything the car stands for.

Writing for James L Bryant’s Mazda MX-5 Miata: Twenty-Five Years, designer Mark Jordan described the NA’s purity perfectly: “a design that was minimalist, lean, and lightweight looking, with a fun and animated personality, and a sprinkle of innocence. In other words, a simple, pure and honest approach”.

Ultimately, only the MX-5’s drivetrain featured DNA links to other Mazda models, though its relative simplicity maintained this purist ideal. The 1597cc B6-series engine was the same 1.6 that debuted in the second-gen 323 and KC Laser in 1985, but the MX-5’s B6-ZE twin-cam 16-valve version featured a 9.4:1 compression ratio, a lightened crankshaft and flywheel, and extractor-style exhaust headers to stretch its rev ceiling to 7200rpm.

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Much-improved outputs of 85kW at 6500rpm and 130Nm at a steep 5500rpm were the result, though the NA MX-5 was never about numbers.

It was always about feel.

With super-crisp throttle response, a snickety-snick short-throw shift for Mazda’s M-type five-speed manual and a rasping exhaust note, the NA MX-5 made up for in spirit what it lacked in outright punch. Apparently, program manager Hirai made himself a 30-minute cassette tape of his favourite exhaust sounds to inspire him on his way to work, among them BMW’s classic M1 supercar.

Combining the drivetrain’s immediacy with terrific torsional body strength gifted the little MX-5 a shrink-wrapped, glove-like dynamic personality and a thoroughly modern polish that instantly dated every roadster before it.

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And while Mazda refined the formula over time – particularly the 1994 1.8-litre version with standard power steering – it’s the manual-steer 1.6 that best encapsulates this car’s reason for being.

There’s also a beautifully subtle retro touch to the NA MX-5. Its exquisite chrome door handles, eyeball air vents, chrome-ringed analogue gauges, and minimalist dashboard evoked a flavour of the past without directly ripping it off. Even the engine’s naked twin rocker covers served as a fabulous reminder that sporting engines used to look good, too. Viewed from a 2021 perspective, these design flourishes seem uniquely MX-5 rather than a pastiche from the past.

What you do notice is just how compact the NA MX-5 is. While it’s kinda large compared to an original Lotus Elan, it’s not a big car.

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At 3975mm long, riding on a teensy 2265mm wheelbase and standing just 1230mm tall, the NA MX-5 defines petite. Yet its 1675mm width and quite generous tracks give it a fantastic dynamic stance. It also weighs less than a tonne, with an aluminium bonnet aiding weight distribution.

The NA MX-5 proved such a breakthrough success – both critically and commercially – that it kick-started a whole wave of 1990s roadsters, among them the Porsche Boxster, which may never have existed had the MX-5 not reminded the Germans that an affordable roadster, taking some inspiration from Porsche’s long-forgotten 914 from the early-’70s, still held a special place in modern motoring.

Yet the NA MX-5 also had a profound effect inside its own stable. The fourth-generation ND of 2015 is essentially a post-modern re-imagining of the 1989 original – lighter, smaller, simpler, and sweeter – and the finest MX-5 in a long time. Indeed, after six years (and counting) it feels ageless, which surely validates the inherent rightness of the superb MX-5 original.

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B-EATEN BY A MILE

When Mazda’s MX-5 launched, it was 27 years since MG had introduced what was once the world’s biggest-selling roadster of all time (the MGB), yet it’s now 32 years since the first MX-5! It only took 10 years for the little Mazda to smash the MG’s sales record of 523,836 units, with the NA making up almost half a million of that total, but it would take the MX-5 until 2016 to reach one million sales.

TINY TIN TOP

Mazda Australia offered an optional hardtop, as well as a standard soft-top with zip-out rear window (which was optional in other markets, and not always fitted to replacement hoods, as pictured here). The soft-top is reasonably hard-wearing, though the rear window does tend to become yellowy. As for current values, NA MX-5s have suddenly taken off, with what would’ve been a $5K car now approaching $15K. And counting.

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Mazda NA MX-5 specifications