March 27, 2024: Updated Toyota Yaris Cross launched in Australia

December 21, 2023: Toyota Yaris Cross goes hybrid-only

The 2024 Toyota Yaris Cross light SUV has gone hybrid-only, with petrol-only variants deleted from the line-up due to strong demand for the electrified powertrain.

“Production of Yaris Cross petrol variants for global markets ended this month (December 2023) in response to overwhelming demand for hybrid-electric variants,” said a Toyota Australia spokesperson.

“As a result, Toyota Australia stopped taking orders on petrol variants. We have sufficient stock of petrol variants in dealer hands and in transit to meet current orders.”

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Pricing for the existing hybrid variants remains unchanged following a previous increase earlier in 2023, though the cost of entry has risen by $2000 with the removal of the non-hybrid models.

The Yaris Cross line-up now starts from $30,000 before on-road costs for the GX FWD hybrid, rising to $39,000 plus on-roads for the Urban AWD hybrid.

GX, GXL and Urban grades are available with front- or all-wheel drive, while the GR Sport variant – added in 2022 – is FWD-only.

Front-drive hybrids use a 67kW/120Nm 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine paired with two electric motors, for a maximum combined 85kW power output.

All-wheel-drive versions use the same hybrid engine and battery set-up as the 2WD hybrid, but add an electric motor to the rear axle.

This variant can send up to 100 per cent of the power to the front wheels, or split delivery 40 per cent to the front and 60 per cent to the rear.

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Combined fuel consumption is rated at 3.8L/100km for front-wheel drive models and 4.0L/100km for all-wheel drive models.

The deletion of non-hybrid variants sees the Yaris Cross become the third Toyota nameplate on sale in Australia to feature hybrid-only powertrains, following the new-generation C-HR and Camry models due locally in 2024.

2024 Toyota Yaris Cross pricing

All prices exclude on-road costs.

The NSW city of Wollongong has launched five new roadside EV charging locations to service owners who can’t easily access charging at home.

The new chargers, located at George Street, Victoria Street, Cliff Road, the Austinmer Tennis Courts and Railway Parade in Thirroul, are dual-22kW units that can be accessed with an RFID card or through an app on the user’s phone.

The units use a ‘BYO’ approach, requiring EV owners to use the cable supplied with their vehicle. For the service provider, NSW-based EVX, this means less replacement of damaged or vandalised cables, and a wider capacity for serving different charging port types.

EVX says that by using AC power, its chargers “have a low impact on the local electricity grid while they can also be installed on the existing utility pole infrastructure, negating the need for disruptive civil works and ensuring a speedy rollout”.

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The new chargers were installed in partnership with Endeavour Energy.

“By repurposing existing infrastructure and using the electricity network’s capacity for additional services, we can exert downward pressure on electricity prices for all customers,” Endeavour Energy’s Colin Crisafulli said.

“Our projections indicate that by 2030, there will be over 300,000 electric vehicles within the Endeavour Energy network, and we are committed to ensuring that all our customers can actively participate in and lead this significant energy transition.”

Wollongong’s new charger launch follows the rollout of an identical Ausigrid-powered EVX charger in Glebe, launched in March.

How much does it cost?

Convenience has a price.

At $0.50 per kWh, the EVX chargers compare poorly against faster DC chargers. For reference, an ultra-rapid Chargefox, Ampol or Evie location costs $0.60/kWh, and a Tesla Supercharger $0.52/kWh. The average cost per kWh in NSW is $0.28.

it’s still a good deal more affordable than petrol – and in the case of the Glebe location, it’s cheaper than the parking you won’t be paying for while using the charger. Just barely.

As John Law noted in his March story, an hour of charging an EV that accepts current at 7kW will cost you $3.50, whereas 60 minutes of metered parking costs $3.90.

Victoria coming too

Victoria is getting in on the pole-mounted action too.

In August, he former Andrews Government (although still a Labor government under his successor Jacinta Allan) announced funding for 100 roadside chargers [↗] to be installed by Intellihub Assets.

It’s a slow mover, however, with the wealthy inner-Melbourne cities of Port Phillip [↗] and Stonnington [↗] still surveying their communities ahead of works to begin at a “TBC” date in 2024.

Way back in June 2022, Apple unveiled a massive expansion of its CarPlay system, along with a long list of brands it had apparently secured agreements with.

The brands said to be signed up for the new CarPlay program included Ford, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti, Honda, Acura, Jaguar, Land Rover, Audi, Nissan, Renault, Volvo, Polestar and Porsche – with a target of “late 2023” for announcing which of those would launch first.

Well, true to its word, it is now late 2023 and Apple has confirmed the first brands to integrate its big and very polarising new CarPlay will be Porsche and Aston Martin.

Not so clear is just how the new system will integrate with these cars, and exactly which models – and when – it’ll first appear with. Sometime in 2024 appears to be all that’s been promised for now.

Today’s news is accompanied by images of the system running in the dash of both models, filling not only the main infotainment views but also the driver display behind the steering wheel – a completely new position for CarPlay.

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Porsche

The Porsche design above shows the familiar Porsche steering wheel, but little else is recognisably Porsche.

All current Porsche models, and indeed the upcoming new-generation Macan and heavily updated Panamera, use a long letterboxed centre display – whereas the image above features a tall portrait display.

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The new Macan does, however, have a passenger display that matches the dimensions of Apple’s image.

The instrument display of Apple’s Porsche dash shows three dials – as with the current Macan – but the on-screen graphics don’t exactly scream Stuttgart, apart from the houndstooth background. It will be interesting to see if CarPlay’s Porsche interface will have the option of a properly Porsche-styled style…

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Aston Martin

In Aston form, CarPlay looks much more conventional in its main display, thanks to the absence of any expansive screens in the Aston range.

The instrument cluster, however, shows speed and rev meters that have a little more Aston-feeling flair – or a little less Apple gloss – but nothing that specifically stands out as an Aston design hallmark.

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What was the promise?

Last year’s announcement saw the massively expanded CarPlay interface previewed on a mocked-up car dash, with one long screen stretching from behind the steering wheel right across to the front passenger’s position.

Below that, a more conventional screen is shown running CarPlay in a more familiar view.

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Running every aspect of the vehicle’s interactive systems, the new CarPlay shows on-screen, iPhone-styled controls and displays for heating and cooling – right through to the speedometer, fuel and temperature gauges in the ‘cluster’ behind the steering wheel.

A video released by Apple (see the embedded tweet below) shows the CarPlay update will also offer widgets for your calendar, home controls (integrating with gadgets compatible with Apple’s Home platform), weather forecasts and air quality.

There are still a lot of unanswered questions

Just how this new version or CarPlay will integrate with a car is unclear.

Will this new version of CarPlay stand as the vehicle’s actual operating system, in the same way that Android Automotive does with the likes of Volvo and Polestar – and soon BMW (sorta kinda) – or will it continue as a mere overlay like the current CarPlay and Android Auto, simply projecting information from the driver’s phone?

Time will tell, although it will obviously require at least some data from the car, such as speed, fuel/battery details, tyre pressure and so forth.

Whether the user will sign into the car with their Apple ID, or if the car will simply pull data from the user’s phone, is unclear.

Related video

Some go deep with Apple, others get out

Almost a year since Apple’s new-generation CarPlay announcement, General Motors made a shock announcement that it will not offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto with its future models.

Pick your poison, I suppose.

Future Mercedes-Benz models running in self-driving mode will use special blue (turquoise, specifically) marker lights in the US in what the car maker says is a world-first.

California and Nevada state regulators have granted approval for the German car makers’ autonomous development program – which uses its Drive Pilot feature – to run industry-standard turquoise external lighting making them instantly recognisable as Level 3 autonomous vehicles.

Permitted for use on 2026 model-year Mercedes EQS and S-Class sedans, the car maker said in a statement: “The inclusion of marker lights is poised to substantially enhance public acceptance of automated driving and contribute to road safety, as the lights make the automated driving system’s status clearly visible from the exterior.”

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Turquoise may seem an unusual choice, however it was selected to provide a distinct look and avoid clashing with any existing legal lights or more common colours.

“This also allows traffic law enforcement and police officers to identify the system’s status and determine whether drivers are permitted to engage in secondary activities during the conditionally automated journey,” according to Mercedes.

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In January 2023, Mercedes-Benz was the first car maker to receive legal approval to run a Level 3 autonomous vehicle on public roads in the US – compared to Tesla Autopilot which is Level 2 – and remains the only brand permitted to do so.

A fleet of EQS sedans were the first Level 3-equipped autonomous vehicles legally driven on US public roads.

Level 3 autonomous vehicle testing was made legal in Germany in 2021.

The news comes as other car makers continue legal and ethical challenges in testing autonomous vehicle systems on public roads, which is currently not legal in Australia.

More than two-million Teslas were recalled in the US earlier in December 2023 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after one of two ongoing probes by the safety body found that the system required more driver steering wheel contact for safety reasons.

General Motors has also recently gutted its high-level staff at its Cruise autonomous sub-brand, which operated Level 2 autonomous Chevrolet Bolt EVs.

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The restructure followed the death of a pedestrian which led to its operating licence in California being revoked, the grounding of its near 1000-car fleet and subsequent recall.

It also cancelled a collaboration with Honda to build several affordable electric vehicle, with General Motors reinstating the cancelled Chevrolet Bolt for 2025.

New recall notices have been issued, affecting Toyota, Lotus, Land Rover and McLaren vehicles.

The details of each recall, as published, are posted below.

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• What is a recall?
• What to do if your car is recalled
• Why a car recall isn’t all bad news
• What is a vehicle identification number (VIN)?
• All ANCAP & vehicle safety stories

December: Tiggo 7 Pro gets 5-star ANCAP safety score

Following the September release of Australian pricing and our first local drive earlier this month, the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro has now been awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

Jump to the safety section below for more details.

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September: Chery Tiggo 7 Pro pricing announced

A sharp $39,990 drive-away price ushers Chery’s second model into Australian dealers.

Chery has announced the pricing and features of its Tiggo 7 Pro medium SUV. There are three variants (Urban, Elite, and Ultimate) on offer with national drive-away prices spanning $39,990 to $45,990.

The Tiggo is an older model than the Omoda 5 launched in March this year. Chery’s Tiggo 7 Pro has been on sale in China, South Africa and other markets since 2021, and arrives in Australia ahead of an all-electric Omoda 5 due in 2024.

Power and fuel consumption

Under the Tiggo 7 Pro’s bonnet is a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine that is Euro-6 compliant and produces 137kW and 275Nm.

Much like the Omoda 5, local listed outputs for our car are lower than Chinese-market cars (145kW and 290Nm) because “the Australian standard is different to the Chinese standard when it comes to measuring equipment.”

The Tiggo’s four-cylinder engine is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic that sends power to the front or all four wheels, depending on trim.

In front-drive form, the Euro VI compliant engine returns 7.0L/100km in the ADR combined consumption cycle. The thirstier all-wheel drive (that offsets compromised range with a 6L larger 57L fuel tank) is rated at 7.8L/100km.

The Tiggo 7 Pro requires premium 95 RON or higher unleaded petrol.

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Space

Size-wise, the five-seat Tiggo 7 Pro is close to a Volkswagen Tiguan and sits at the smaller end of the medium SUV spectrum. It measures 4513mm long, 1862mm wide, 1696mm tall and rides on a 2670mm wheelbase while packing a healthy 626L cargo space.

“The Tiggo 7 Pro is an effortlessly impressive vehicle that combines style, space, and safety to deliver a medium SUV that will prove the perfect fit for Australian families,” said Chery Australia managing director Andy Zhang.

Inside is plenty of technology, as you’d expect from a Chinese newcomer. Chery’s excellent voice assist features, as does a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, and LED headlights.

Chery Tiggo 7 Pro safety

The Tiggo 7 Pro has eight airbags and 18 driver assistance technologies, including AEB, lane-trace assist, driver-attention monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and more.

The new Chery SUV was awarded a 5-star ANCAP safety rating in December, achieving the following scores:

• Adult Occupant Protection: 88%
• Child Occupant Protection: 87%
• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 72%
• Safety Assist: 86%

You can read our full drive review for a very comprehensive rundown on the Tiggo 7 Pro’s safety suite, while its full ANCAP assessment report can be read here. [↗]

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Warranty and running costs

Chery wants to offer peace of mind for customers and is adamant it has the dealer and local support needed to deal with warranty claims and accident repairs rapidly, carrying nearly $12 million worth of spare parts for Tiggo and Omoda models.

The Tiggo 7 Pro is covered by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, seven years of capped-price servicing and buyers get seven years of roadside assistance thrown in with the purchase.

Full service pricing for seven years has not been confirmed, but the first five trips to a Chery dealer will cost $280 per visit – just $20 each more than a Toyota RAV4.

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Chery Tiggo 7 Pro pricing and availability

The Tiggo 7 Pro is available to pre-order now (as of September), with deliveries commencing later this year.

The first 500 buyers will receive three years of complimentary servicing with their Tiggo 7 purchase.

Next to an entry-level non-turbo Hyundai Tucson ($35,150), Mazda CX-5 Maxx ($36,110) Toyota RAV4 GX ($39,760 all before on-road costs), and the Honda ZR-V VTi X ($40,200 drive-away), the Tiggo 7 offers more spec-sheet substance for similar or less money though the proof will be in how it drives.

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Chery Tiggo 7 Pro variants

Even the most basic Tiggo 7 Pro Urban has heated seats, a panoramic sunroof and a brand-name sound system at $39,990 drive-away.

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Moving up to the mid-spec Elite mostly adds convenience and style features.

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The flagship Ultimate scores bigger wheels and an AWD system for enhanced capability.

Hyundai has sold its two millionth vehicle in Australia: a white Hyundai Kona in Western Australia, the state where it kicked off its local operations in 1986.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the support of each and every buyer that has contributed to this milestone,” said Hyundai Motor Company Australia Chief Executive Officer, Ted Lee.

“It’s fitting that our two millionth buyer is in the state where it began for our brand 37 years ago and a special thank you is on the way to our new customer so they can share in our celebrations.”

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Hyundai reached Australia in 1986, operating a single dealership in Perth – John Hughes Hyundai. The carmaker sold its 500,000th unit in 2004, and its one millionth vehicle, an iX35, at the same dealership in 2012.

Now, on the 20th anniversary of the formation of Hyundai Motor Company Australia – a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company – the two millionth has been sold.

Year-to-date, Hyundai is the fifth-best selling brand in Australia with 6.3 per cent market share, locked in a tight battle with sister brand Kia. The midsized Hyundai Tucson SUV is its best-selling model, ahead of the small i30 hatch and sedan (sold as Elantra in overseas markets).

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Hyundai has become a style leader in recent years, with its cheap and cheerful approach of the 1990s – popularised by the $13,990 driveway X3 Excel campaign – making way for more premium offerings.

That includes ground-breaking designs of its electric vehicles, such as the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6, as well as its conventionally-powered models including the recently updated Kona and even its funky Staria van line-up.

It has also captured the enthusiast market with the introduction of its ‘N’ performance division, originally run by former BMW M Division boss Albert Biermann.

Last week’s news of the worst safety test result in years has sent MG back to the parts room, promising a number of important updates to its MG5 sedan for the 2024 model year.

The crash test, carried out locally by ANCAP itself (whereas many current results are taken from Euro NCAP testing), saw the MG 5 sedan and Mahindra Scorpio SUV slammed by the organisation’s boss.

“Both brands have misjudged the safety expectations of today’s consumers,” ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said.

In its report, ANCAP said it could not award even a single star to either car, ““due to a range of limitations – in both physical crash protection and active collision avoidance performance”. You can read the full story, linked below.

Responding quickly to the results, an MG spokesperson told Wheels Media last week that the brand “has worked closely with the Australian Government to ensure that the MG 5 has met the relevant Australian Design Rules (ADRs) for vehicle design when they are first supplied to the Australian market”.

ADR requirements tend to be well behind ANCAP criteria, however, due partly to the snail’s pace of legislation anywhere in the world, but also to the notion that buyers need the option of cheap cars – and the extent of included safety kit should, in part, be theirs to budget for.

For example, lane-keep assist has been an ANCAP requirement for years, but was only proposed as an ADR change in late 2021 with a 2024 target. Reverse cameras and sensors will likewise not become compulsory in new cars until 2025.

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What will MG add to the MG 5?

The company’s local arm has provided a list of coming improvements, which we’ve shared below, verbatim.

1. The addition of seatbelt pretensioners: “The added pre-tensioner seatbelts of the MG5 allow the shoulder portion of the belt to be pulled tightly to help firmly secure the occupant in the seat in the event of a collision”.
2. Dynamic Load Tensioners: “The addition of this device in the MG5 helps manage the force exerted on seat belts during a collision, enhancing the effectiveness of the restraint system.”
3. Calf protection: “MG is committed to improving safety for all road users, including the protection of pedestrians. Toward this end, MG has developed a calf protection panel which sits under the front bumper to minimise the level of injury to pedestrians in the event of an accident.”
4. “MG is investing in additional hardware safety upgrades for the MG5 that include ‘Dynamic Load Tensioners’, ‘Seat Belt Reminders’, ‘Occupant Monitoring’, ‘Calf Protection’, ‘Seat Belt Pretensioner’, ‘Forward Impact Sensor (Preventing or mitigating frontal collisions)’.

Will the 2024 MG 5 be more expensive with these upgrades?

MY24 pricing is not yet confirmed, but it would not be unreasonable for these additions to move the MG 5 beyond its current drive-away $24,990 (MG 5 Vibe) and $28,990 (MG 5 Essence) position.

The changes certainly don’t come cheap for MG itself. The company says its Australia-specific upgrades to the MG 5, all of which will be standard on both the VIbe and Essence trim grades, are a $4 million undertaking.

When will the updated MG 5 arrive?

The company has not yet confirmed when the updated MG 5 will arrive, or how many examples of the current zero-star version are already in Australian stock.

Will MG submit the 2024 MG 5 to ANCAP for a new score?

Speaking with Wheels Media today, an MG spokesperson was unable to confirm any specific plans for a tilt at a better safety score.

“We’re investing a substantial amount to improve the safety features and our local product team are in regular communication with ANCAP about the updates,” the spokesperson said.

It’s easy to forget that it was the Volvo XC90 that kickstarted the Swedish brand’s modern transformation.

Launched way back in 2014, the second-gen XC90 was the first car to ride on Volvo’s new modular platform and the first to benefit from the cash injection brought by fresh owners Geely.

Svelte, beautifully made and with tidy ride/handling, the XC90 came within a whisper of winning Wheels COTY. And now, almost a full 10 years later, Volvo’s luxury seven-seater has lost none of its appeal. Talk about ageing like a fine wine…

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JUMP AHEAD

• How much is it and what do you get?
• Cabin comfort and space
• What’s it like to drive?
• VERDICT
• Specifications

How much is it and what do you get?

As you’d expect, Volvo has treated the XC90 to some welcome upgrades since its 2014 launch with the latest raft of improvements arriving last year.

That update brought a rejigging of the model range (the existing trim levels of Momentum, Inscription, R-Design and Recharge were replaced by Plus, Bright, Dark and Ultimate T8 respectively) and the injection of Volvo’s latest Android-based infotainment system, which now includes Apple CarPlay.

For this test, we’re driving the high-spec B6 Dark which uses a fizzy 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo that produces 220kW/420Nm and is supplemented by a 48-volt system and an electric supercharger.

It retails for $107,990, which plonks the XC90 in a comfortable middle ground for price against its key competitor set: slightly more expensive than a Lexus RX, yet cheaper than a BMW X5 or Mercedes-Benz GLE.

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Our particular tester is bristling with desirable options like air suspension ($3750) and a truly fantastic Bowers and Wilkins sound system ($4550) that deliver an ‘as tested’ price of $118,690.

And our XC90 looks every cent of that outlay. We know beauty is in the eye of the beholder but you’d have to be a harsh marker to deny the XC90 is a deeply handsome thing. Chiselled and broad shouldered it looks taut and perfectly proportioned for what is, essentially, a family bus.

The huge 22-inch diamond-cut alloys help, of course, as does the optional air suspension which slowly lowers when the body when parked to give it lightly ‘slammed’ appearance.

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Cabin comfort and space

The cabin is arguably even more impressive. The minimal cabin design feels like a high-end Scandi furniture shop and the sense of luxury and build quality are impeccable. The seats, in particular, as superb

And boy is it functional. The XC90’s form factor is longer and narrower than other luxe SUVs like a BMW X5 and Audi Q7 and it makes full use of its extra length with plenty of cabin space and a third row that’s roomy enough for adults.

Third row passengers also score face-level air vents, cup holders and their own storage, though notably there are no top-tether anchor points for child seats back there. You do score three tether points in the second row, however, as well as twin Isofix anchor points and Volvo’s useful integrated booster seat in the middle pew.

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Throw in a sliding second row, four-zone climate control, plenty of USB-C charging points and retractable window blinds and there’s nary a chink in the XC90’s armour when it comes to hauling about seven people in comfort.

The one thing that betrays the Volvo’s age is the size of its portrait-style touchscreen. At 9.0-inches it looks small by modern standards, yet its functionality is excellent. The software is Google based, and now includes Google Maps and Google Assistant, and the layout of the key controls and menus is easy to wrap your head around.

One annoyance is the need to dive into multiple menus to change the AC or seat heaters, yet the screen’s resolution and response is hard to fault. The centre screen pairs with a 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster and head-up display, plus there’s a 360 surround view camera which sends a high-res video feed to ensure you don’t kerb those massive alloys.

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What’s it like to drive?

The XC90’s light steering aids low-speed manoeuvrability and once you’re on the move, there’s little to disrupt the Volvo’s overarching sense of calm and serenity.

A big part of our tester’s phenomenal comfort and control is down to the optional air suspension, which is a must have inclusion. It’s wafty and cushy around town, with none of the crashiness you expect from the big wheels.

And at higher speeds, the XC90’s suspension is flat and measured with excellent body control. On our dynamic loop, the way the XC90 absorbed and recovered from big bumps was mightily impressive.

Those big alloys are surprisingly grippy, too, and while the overall experience isn’t what you’d call sporty, there’s a surprising amount of talent and poise to the XC90’s dynamics.

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VERDICT

It can be a tough gig being one of the oldest contenders in a class, yet despite its advancing years, the Volvo XC90 continues to be one of the most convincing luxury SUVs on sale.

Polished, handsome and impeccably built, its true genius lies in its focus on comfort, space and functionality. This is an impressively practical family SUV and also one that nails its fundamentals with an uncommon layer of finesse and flair. And that’s why it’s one of our favourite luxury SUVs.

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India’s industrial giant Mahindra has progressed from its tractor origins and is now sowing the seeds of global passenger-car ambition. And Australia has been targeted as particularly fertile ground.

The Mumbai-based tractor manufacturer turned car maker has a strategic plan to transition from farmers’ fields to suburban driveways.

And a key part is a forensic analysis of customers as it introduces a new product line – including a contemporary take on the traditional diesel ute alongside forthcoming electric vehicles.

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With fresh products – the XUV700 and Scorpio SUVs – recently released, the Australian arm is priming to be at the sharp end of the mothership’s global goals.

The ‘Global Vision’ target – announced in October by Mahindra’s Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director and chief executive (Automotive and Farm Equipment) – is a two-and-a-half-fold increase in the automotive division’s revenue by the 2026 Indian Financial Year. But Mahindra wants its Australian division to perform even better than that.

That’s a tall order given the brand has been here for decades, yet is hardly on the average new car buyer’s hit list.

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The Mahindra name first appeared in Australian new-vehicle showrooms in 1990 with a small batch of its Peugeot-diesel-powered Pik-Up ute, before a more substantial return in 2007 distributed by Sydney-based Tynan Motor Group.

The Australian arm is now headquartered in Brisbane after Mahindra took full control of the business in 2011, and it’s from this base that it intends to make its biggest strides on the island continent yet.

It has witnessed newer makes become prominent on local new-car shopping lists, including a disruptive, reborn MG – now a consistent top-10 finisher in Australia – in our 50-plus brand sales stoush. Now it wants in.

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Mahindra’s region head for the Australia Pacific, Joydeep Moitra, explained to Wheels the change in focus for Mahindra’s automotive business that sees Australia front and centre of its global transformation into a mainstream automotive brand.

“The brand has always stood for ruggedness – an authentic, rugged brand – and we’ve focused on SUVs and utes,” says Moitra, speaking from the company’s Brisbane base. “We are not into sedans or any other passenger vehicles.

“We started [locally] in Queensland and from that, we evolved towards the smaller towns … like Toowoomba, Rockhampton, and some parts of Victoria. We were manual transmission [vehicles] only for a long time – we have been extremely niche in Australia, servicing only pick-up and SUV [models] with predominantly manual transmissions.

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“Now with our new range of products, we are getting into a more lifestyle segment,” says Moitra.

While the Australian new car market is notoriously competitive, it’s an understatement to say Mahindra knows how to succeed.

Mahindra & Mahindra (its official name) is an industrial powerhouse – a conglomerate of operations including a flourishing agribusiness as the world’s largest tractor manufacturer, advanced technology set-ups helping its move into electric vehicles, and now an emerging player on the SUV scene.

It bought the Peugeot bicycle business in 2014 and owns legendary design house Pininfarina.

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It also makes about 700,000 vehicles a year across multiple factories and boasts impressive design and engineering facilities.

“We’ve seen that entire evolution over 50-plus years or more [globally] of the country, do-it-yourself kind of a buyer to, now, more modern metros, the smaller suburbs and so on. So in that sense, [Mahindra’s] entire customer profile has completely evolved. It’s become more mainstream,” says Moitra.

Moitra believes now is the time for the Australian arm to make a play into the big league, with multiple factors combining to fuel its push into the mass market – using a three-pillar product strategy based on design, technology, and affordability to capitalise on them.

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“Once we started having visibility of the newer [vehicle] platforms with automatics and other advanced requirements [and] tech features, that’s where we said, ‘Now we are in the right frame to open up the urban markets.’”

There will be multiple strings to its product bow – namely diesel utes, SUVs and electric vehicles.

Mahindra’s first monocoque vehicle was the XUV500 introduced in 2011, succeeded by the more accomplished and much more mature XUV700, which remains one of the most affordable SUVs for its size.

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“With the new products, the Scorpio and the XUV700, I think we have moved on”

Then there’s the new full-chassis Scorpio SUV – also budget-driven – above the XUV700 in the line-up.

They sit alongside the dated, awkwardly styled S11 Pik-Up, which is an obvious hangover from the ‘old’ Mahindra.

“With the new products, the Scorpio and the XUV700, I think we have now moved on,” Moitra says. “These are the right two products, and we’ve seen good success, which has given us confidence.

“There’s a huge amount of opportunity because these are mainstream product segments for our dealer network. These are high-volume SUV segments in Australia, so clearly the business growth both for Mahindra as well as for the dealer network is now centred around these two products.”

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The SUV segment has indeed made up more than half – 56 percent – of new-car purchases in Australia year to date, well ahead of the next-largest segment, light commercials, at 22 percent.

“Our XUV700 SUV competes head on with several Japanese and Korean brands. I think we’re competitive in terms of value, so the brand has evolved … the value proposition will always remain fundamental, and it will remain right up front.

“So, while everybody else is trying to move more into higher and premium territory, I think we will be able to offer a very strong differentiation with democratised tech … The idea is to remain that authentic brand of being a tough workhorse but evolving it into lifestyle.”

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Mahindra also sees opportunity given the number of interest rate rises and the increased cost of living, while Moitra says that the two countries – and respective governments – work well together, evidenced by the Free Trade Agreement between India and Australia that came into effect in December 2022.

“Clearly, we are seeing that the products that we are designing, developing, and of course taking inputs from Australia during design development, testing it in Australia and then launching it into Australia, we are seeing reasonable success,” he adds. “We see that there is a very good opportunity for this brand to scale up operations.”

The design alone of both of its newest SUVs illustrates some of the advances the brand is making, far removed from its Jeep-building origins (though the company still hopes to introduce the Thar off-roader to Australia if it can overcome Wrangler-based legal objections from Jeep, just as it did in the US in June).

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“Design is critical to enhancing the appeal for Mahindra in Australia and globally”

A significant step away from its derivative origins is its global design hub, M.A.D.E – which stands for Mahindra Advanced Design Europe and was opened in August 2022 by Mahindra Group chairman Anand Mahindra and the UK International Minister for Trade, Ranil Jayawardena.

The Banbury, Oxfordshire facility is home to 30 staff, with state-of-the art tools enabling conception to prototype capability, including 3D modelling, a digitisation suite, and Virtual Reality (VR) modelling.

“Design is critical to enhancing the appeal for Mahindra in Australia and globally,” says Moitra. “The idea of setting up a design centre was to use the talent over there and make that the hub for our global product design.”

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Building on this are Mahindra’s latest concepts – the Vision Thar.e and Global Pik-Up – which clearly show the continuing design evolution, as well as the car maker’s burgeoning engineering nous.

The Thar.e concept spearheads Mahindra’s electric sub-brand, Born Electric, with the company to produce at least five models from its new EV-specific plant in Pune, south-east of Mumbai, with a platform sharing arrangement with Volkswagen.

An electric Mahindra of some type should be in Australian showrooms in the near future.

More salivating for Australia is the Global Pik Up concept unveiled in August, which – with its striking exterior executed by the Mahindra India Design Studio (MIDS) – is a like-for-like illustration of the shift in the company’s car making business.

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“We’ll carry a lot of those [concept] visions into production,” says Moitra.“I’m pretty confident that a lot of those design elements will go into production.”

The dominance of local sales charts by dual-cab utes – with the Toyota Hilux the best-selling vehicle here every year since 2015 – and Mahindra’s history of off-road and utility vehicles is another checkbox making Australia a key market, both in terms of commercial growth and product development.

“A lot of benchmarking is happening based on products coming out of our [brand] being sold in Australia,” says Moitra when asked about the Pik-Up.

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As expected, he’s coy about which of the best-sellers in Australia Mahindra is using as its yardstick.

“I don’t want to be very specific on this … But, yes, definitely – we operate at multiple levels in terms of the development and the testing done by us, as well as on critical development partners or suppliers, so we do know that a lot of utes are being developed in Australia.”

While it sounds simple, Mahindra’s goals in Australia are ambitious, though admirable.

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The company, however, says it is given confidence by Australian buyers’ warm reception to new challenger brands in recent years (think MG, LDV and GWM).

“So right now we believe that the opening in the market just to find that new brands are getting a chance in the customer mind space – the fact that they’re willing to give a chance to newer and new products – is something that’s a fantastic opportunity for us. It’s not a closed market from a customer mindset.”

Success won’t be immediate, and – when asked what that could look in five years’ time – Mahindra acknowledges a strong future product line-up is crucial.

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“When we have the next round of products, that will further enhance [growth],” Moitra says. “So, I’m just splitting up your five-year [question] into two-and-a-half, three years.

“I don’t want to be saying we’ll be in the top 10 or top five [brand in Australia], but as far as we are concerned we would like to see a much higher growth than the global two-and-a-half [revenue target].”

“At a global [level] now we are starting small … Australia will grow at a much faster clip when we have launched the right portfolio.”

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That’s where an intense focus on customers’ feedback and needs comes in, he adds.

“It’s not only Australia specific, but also in every market – being close to the customer … because of the changing dynamic demographics of a market like Australia, it’s not an option – it’s our biggest challenge.”

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Proving points

By Matt Raudonikis

Nothing exemplifies the growth of Mahindra & Mahindra since the end of WW2 more than its advanced R&D facilities in multiple cities around India.

Key to the product and development of its products are the Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) near Chennai and the new Mahindra SUV Proving Track (MSPT) some 50 kilometres away.

The MRV is located within the 1500-acre Mahindra World City, which is also home to the Indian operations of other global automotive companies.

MRV houses Mahindra’s product development and testing facilities for everything from electronics, powertrains, chassis development, safety, ergonomics and acoustics. It’s a cutting-edge facility that allows Mahindra to compete with the world’s leading automotive brands.

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The MSPT was modelled on the IDIADA test facility in Spain, long considered to be the best in Europe and the gold standard for such proving grounds.

The 450-acres-plus MSPT site has been purpose-built to test and develop Mahindra’s range of SUVs and tractors over all kinds of terrain and conditions.

It includes a four-kilometre, four-lane high speed test track with 1100-metre straights connected by turns banked up to 44 degrees on the high-speed lane, designed to test vehicles at speeds up to 200km/h.

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Around the high-speed track are kilometres of roads representing all kinds of driving conditions and road surfaces, including various grades of asphalt, potholes, manhole covers, corrugations, inclines and wet surfaces.

Some of the road surfaces are designed for ‘accelerated durability testing’. The General Durability track is a 5.5-kilometre circuit that takes in all of these various surfaces and conditions, and it’s constantly being used by various vehicles at different stages of their development.

There are also simulated suburban roads, a 250-metre-diameter skid pan, handling tracks, a sand pit, a tractor track and water baths where the depth can be controlled.

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The salt water spray track covers the vehicle as if driving on a beach, and then it is parked in a humidity chamber which accelerates any possible corrosion – giving the engineers an idea of where corrosion may occur and take measures to rectify it prior to production.

The facility also includes a 4×4 test track that is not only used for developing and testing their own vehicles, but on weekends is open to guests to experience the off-road capabilities of the Mahindra Thar and Scorpio.

The track starts with a tilting bridge over a water course and includes deep offset holes, steep climbs and descents, rocky tracks, water crossings, articulation tests, rocky slopes, side slopes, pipe and tyre crossings, sand patches, cobblestones, and just about everything else you might find off the beaten track.

Yet Mahindra will need to ace all of that in order to prove its mettle in Australia.

This article originally published in the Wheels 2023 Yearbook, on sale from 18th December.