Coupes under $50k
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Whether you’re just starting to drive or heading into a mid-life crisis, coupes appeal to all of us. Luckily, these days you don’t need to spend big money to enjoy the thrills of the swept-back driving experience.
While you are able to buy a Subaru BRZ or Toyota 86 for less than $40,000, choices start to expand once you’re shopping under the $50,000 so let’s start there.

Toyota 86
It is getting a little long in the tooth, but the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ combo still offers sports car thrills for an affordable price. Available in manual or automatic with a choice of specification levels, the Toyota 86 has stood the test of time despite external pressure to fill it with extra power.

Mazda MX-5
With the nameplate just celebrating its 30th birthday, there’s small wonder why so many flock to the Mazda MX-5 for an engaging top-down drive. Even if you’re more of a hard-top fan, Mazda now offers the RF version which includes a folding metal roof.

Hyundai i30 Fastback N
A relatively new player to the coupe game, Hyundai’s i30 N was transformed into a four-door coupe following the success of the hatchback. Sleeker styling marries with everything that made Hyundai’s first true hot hatch great

MG3 Vibe becomes the equal-cheapest new car in Australia with big discount
The drop in price leaves the MG3 Vibe on par with the BYD Atto 1 Essential.

XPENG L03 Aussie price and specs revealed as EV and hybrid SUV takes on Geely’s EX5
The cheapest Xpeng model to sell down under is also coming for the BYD Atto 3.

GWM Cannon Alpha 3.0TD review: Supersized engine and off-road chops give newcomer the firepower to fight Ranger and HiLux
GWM takes aim at the established dual-order with a new 3.0-litre turbo-diesel that outmuscles its rivals

Revealed: Why EV owners could soon be hit with a $1-per-minute fine when they charge their cars
One mistake could see motorists hit with a charge they don’t want when they fill their batteries.

McLaren adopts new logo that was created before the company was even founded
The new McLaren emblem is as historic as it is understated.

Geely boasts that its new tech can charge an EV in just four minutes
Geely has one-upped BYD with its impending announcement.

Has the electric vs petrol reliability debate been settled? Study of almost 50 million vehicles is huge news for EV fans
The reliability report looked at 47.4 million vehicles that had travelled from 145,000km to 193,000km, with eye-opening results.

Toyota strikes out in bold new direction as it makes unexpected move to broaden its EV line-up
The decision on range-extending EVs will reportedly see Toyota begin production in China next year.

China’s luxury Hongqi brand is launching three SUVs to take on Mercedes-Benz and BMW in Australia
Yet another Chinese brand will launch locally in early 2027, with Hongqi setting its sights on luxury brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

Nissan takes the covers off specs for the next-generation 2028 X-Trail
The Nissan X-Trail has a North American twin in the Rogue, which has just been unveiled ahead of its appearance in showrooms later this year.

New facelifted Geely EX5 is officially revealed in China: Here’s what’s new
The upcoming medium SUV from Geely has been seen in its home country.

Revealed: Australia’s top 10 most fuel-efficient SUVs as petrol and diesel prices shoot up again
SUVs remain wildly popular in Australia. But with petrol and diesel prices spiking, what’s your best bet for saving at the bowser? We’ve got you covered…

How you can save up to $7000 on a range of Chery models – but you’ll have to be quick
Chery is offering factory bonuses from $1500 to $7000 for a limited time only.

Ex-Kia Australia boss: Traditional brands have just ‘three years’ to work out survival plans in battle with Chinese upstarts
Kia Australia’s former boss Damian Meredith predicts Chinese brands will force established carmakers to consider how they survive here in as little as three years.

Nissan boss confirms next-generation Skyline will launch before year’s end and says it’s crucial to the brand’s transformation
Nissan’s president says the upcoming Skyline will lead the brand’s “renaissance”.

Holden history unearthed from Australia’s National Archives in free exhibition
Free National Archives exhibition traces Holden from its saddlery beginnings to Australia’s own car, showcasing rare artefacts, documents and memorabilia from the company’s history.

Two Aussie states make huge changes to their drug driving laws
Queensland and NSW have both just overhauled how they deal with motorists who are caught with a certain type of drug in their system.

Mechanic who was meant to fix a cop car takes it drag racing instead – and gets busted
The mechanic was test-driving the police cruiser when he got overexcited at a set of lights and paid the price.

Hyundai to build thousands of Robotaxis as new way of selling EVs
The CEO of Hyundai has called autonomous taxis the “number one” way of profiting from its EVs.

Ford says new hybrid Bronco SUV will have up to 900km of range as it’s pictured in Australia for the first time
The Ford Bronco Basecamp is due down under in the second half of 2027 with a raft of features that will delight off-roaders.

Honda fast-tracks launch of its next-generation CR-V SUV, report says
The move from Honda comes as the company continues to pivot towards hybrids rather than BEVs.

Tesla drops startling stats on how its self-driving cars have performed in Australia
Tesla is on a winner with its FSD tech if data gathered over 160 million kilometres of driving on Aussie roads is any guide.

Wheels October 2026 issue now on sale
Electric performance meets hot-hatch royalty as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N battles Honda’s Civic Type R, alongside the Nichols N1A, Australia’s best large SUVs and six new First Drives.

McLaren W1: Mid-engined V8 hypercar aims to win on both road and track
The famous brand adopts a lightweight ‘less is more’ mantra – and a 1258bhp (938kW) electrically assisted V8 – for its latest Ultimate Series hypercar.
