General Motors has unveiled a pair of striking GMC Hummer X electric vehicle concepts, offering a glimpse at how future off-road-focused EVs could evolve through new technology, modular design and sustainability-focused thinking.

Created to mark the opening of GM’s new advanced design studio in Pasadena, California, the Hummer X concepts arrive in both SUV and ute-inspired forms. While the vehicles are not intended for production, they have been developed as rolling testbeds for future innovations in design, capability and customer experiences.

The concepts draw heavily on the styling of the existing GMC Hummer EV, featuring squared-off bodywork, a commanding stance, slim window openings and a full-width LED lighting signature. However, the Hummer X package takes the formula further, with a more compact footprint designed to maximise off-road performance.

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According to GM, the SUV concept is intended to challenge expectations of what a mid-sized electric off-roader can achieve. Its specifications certainly support that claim.

The vehicle rides on enormous 37-inch off-road tyres and boasts 334mm of ground clearance, figures that place it among the most capable four-wheel-drive concepts revealed in recent years. Approach and departure angles of 44 and 46 degrees respectively also exceed those of many established off-road vehicles currently available in Australia.

The ute concept features a longer wheelbase and body, making it better suited to carrying equipment and tackling longer journeys while retaining strong off-road credentials.

Both concepts feature serious hardware designed for demanding terrain, including beadlock wheels, bespoke suspension components, removable body sections and extensive underbody protection.

Inside, GM has taken an unconventional approach to digital technology. Instead of relying on a single large display, the Hummer X uses seven individual screens positioned throughout the cabin. The displays can be configured to suit different driving scenarios and user preferences.

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One of the more futuristic features is a deployable scout drone that can relay live terrain information back to the vehicle’s screens, potentially helping drivers navigate challenging off-road environments.

GM has not released performance or battery specifications for the concepts. However, the current Hummer EV is known for its massive battery capacity and impressive off-road capability, suggesting the Hummer X concepts could provide clues about the direction of future electric adventure vehicles.

While Australians are unlikely to see these exact models in showrooms, the concepts highlight the growing trend towards highly capable electric off-roaders that blend advanced technology with traditional four-wheel-drive capability.

BMW Group will begin deploying humanoid robots in one of its vehicle manufacturing plants this year, marking a significant step towards what the company believes could become the future of automotive production.

The German automotive giant plans to introduce the human-shaped robots at its Leipzig facility from mid-2025, following a series of successful trials in both Germany and the United States.

Speaking to the BBC, BMW’s head of process management and digitalisation, Michael Nikolaides, said the technology has the potential to work alongside people in a wide variety of production environments.

“This will be the future of automotive production,” Nikolaides told the BBC. “If you have a humanoid form, you can pretty much set it to any workplace where a human is working today because it has the same size and the same capabilities.”

Unlike traditional industrial robots that are typically fixed to a single location, humanoid robots are designed to move through existing factory spaces and perform tasks in areas already built around human workers.

BMW says the primary goal is not to replace employees, but to assist with repetitive, physically demanding and potentially hazardous jobs.

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“The focus is on understanding where this technology can support tasks that are repetitive, physically demanding or safety-critical,” a BMW spokesperson told the BBC. “The aim is to relieve employees in suitable areas and learn how Physical AI can support future production processes.”

The robots, developed by Swiss technology company Hexagon Robotics, stand approximately 1.65 metres tall and weigh around 60 kilograms. Known as AEON, the machines are capable of lifting loads of up to 15 kilograms for shorter periods and around 8 kilograms continuously.

BMW says the robots will initially be used in high-voltage battery assembly and component manufacturing, areas that are becoming increasingly important as the industry transitions towards electrification.

The introduction follows earlier testing at BMW’s Spartanburg facility in the United States, where engineers assessed how the machines could integrate into existing production systems.

While humanoid robots may sound futuristic, automation has long been a cornerstone of modern vehicle manufacturing. Robotic welding systems, automated guided vehicles and advanced quality-control technologies are already widely used throughout the industry.

Other manufacturers are also exploring human-like robotics. Earlier this year, Renault showcased a robot designed to transport heavy electric vehicle tyres around its production facility in France.

BMW has not revealed where the technology could be deployed next, but the company confirmed it continues to evaluate robotics across its global manufacturing network.

For Australian consumers, the move offers a glimpse into how future BMW and MINI vehicles could increasingly be built with the assistance of advanced artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics, helping improve efficiency while supporting workers on the factory floor.

A look around any Australian suburban carpark will reveal a sea of unextraordinary utes, SUVs and hatchbacks. Nothing out of the ordinary, all very safe resale-protecting choices.

But it wasn’t always like that. From time to time, a car brand might be brave and bold and try something a bit different.

While not every oddball could make the cut, here are some of the more unusual models that brands took a punt on from the last 50 years.

Bullet Roadster SS

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Unbridled Australian innovation took the humble Mazda MX-5 and mated it with the quad-cam V8 from a Lexus to create a formidable sports car that provided big power and minuscule weight.

While some of the MX-5 DNA is obvious in the styling, a spaceframe underneath braced the body, and the most powerful option saw a 4.0-litre Toyota V8 with a Sprintex supercharger deliver a claimed 320kW/575Nm.

The extent of changes and reengineering meant Bullet became a manufacturer of its own, achieving low-volume ADR compliance and offering something utterly unhinged that looked familiar, but came with carbon composite bodywork and a full set of performance and handling upgrades.

Suzuki Mighty Boy

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Aussie utes have taken many forms, but by the 1980s, they were mostly either based on full-size Holden and Ford sedans, or dedicated workhorses from Japan, similar in size, if not performance. That didn’t stop Suzuki from having a crack at something very different in the mid-80s.

The Mighty Boy was a tiny ute, designed to meet Japan’s compact kei class regulations, with a 550cc engine and unusual proportions that made the cabin longer than the bed, thanks to its close relationship with the Cervo hatch.

The rise of more practical vans, which put the driver over the engine instead of behind it, sealed the Mighty Boy’s fate in Japan, and while it developed a cult following in Australia, sedate specs and limited practicality stopped it from being a widespread success.

Smart Roadster

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Smart’s entire Australian line-up felt like it was fighting with one arm tied behind its back, thanks to compact dimensions, tiny engines, and frustratingly dimwitted automated manual transmissions. While the City-Coupe range found favour with businesses as a quirky mobile billboard, the Smart Roadster was something else entirely.

Almost 74 per cent more expensive than the City-Coupe, the Roadster offered the same cramped cabin, but a longer body that blended classic sports car cues with the ability to complete a 0-100km/h sprint in a drowsy 10.9 seconds.

With your bum so close to the ground, its 60kW 698cc turbo engine almost felt swift, and the absolute need to rev the ring out of it gave it a fizzy feeling from behind the wheel, but cartoonish interiors and a lack of any substance made it incredibly niche.

Blade Electron

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If the idea of a Hyundai Getz with lower performance and crippled range for three times the price of the cheapest Getz sounds like your cup of tea, then the Blade Electron was for you.

Based on the body of a Getz, the Electron swapped out Hyundai’s 70kW 1.4-litre petrol engine for a 40kW electric motor, taking the price from Hyundai’s attractive $14,990 all the way to $48,000 with a claimed 100km range thanks to a 16kWh battery.

The Electron was a bold attempt to spark EV innovation, using funding available under the Australian government’s ‘green development’ fund at the time, but a limited audience, and competition from the more resolved Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Nissan Leaf saw demand dwindle quickly.

Bufori Madison

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Think of Australian car brands, and you’ll likely think of Holden first, but Bufori was an Australian brand with an entirely different ethos. Their first model, the Madison, was hand-built in Sydney with a neoclassical design that wrapped the look of a 1920s roadster around Volkswagen mechanicals.

An emphasis on craftsmanship and hand-assembled coachbuilding techniques kept Bufori’s production volumes low, but the company grew to a point where exports kicked off, and eventually production was shifted to Malaysia, where it continues to this day.

Toyota Corolla Sportivo Levin

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Corolla and weird don’t usually belong together, with Toyota’s small hatch about as mainstream as they come. In 2001 Toyota Australia tried something a bit different, bolting a turbo on for kicks and creating a low-volume sleeper.

Looking more like a Corolla dressed from Toyota’s accessory range, with a Sportivo front bumper chin, sills, spoiler risers, and wheels, the best bits were hidden from view.

The turbocharger boosted power from 85kW to 115kW, and torque jumped from 154Nm to 237Nm. A five-speed manual was the only transmission, and suspension was stiffened to keep handling in check.

In the world of performance, the 115kW Corolla outgunned a Mk 4 Golf GTI of the time by 5kW, but was also priced higher than a base Commodore with a V8, meaning numbers were limited to just 110 units from an intended run of 150.

Suzuki X-90

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Suzuki helped pioneer the compact SUV craze with the Vitara in the 1980s, but by the mid-90s, it may have gotten a little cocky with the two-door X-90.

Unlike anything else before it, or since, the X-90 took the Vitara’s ladder-frame chassis and draped it in an upright two-door coupe body. With a boot, not a tailgate. And with a removable targa-style roof.

Off-road enthusiasts avoided it for its lack of practicality, and the kinds of trendy young urban buyers Suzuki was targeting opted for the more spacious and practical RAV4 instead

Lada Bizivan

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Every attempt Lada made in the Australian market could land on this list, probably the best-known of which were those modified by racing legend Peter Brock, with handling and styling revisions that did little to spur on the Soviet hatchback’s success.

Weirder still, by the late ‘80s, Lada introduced the Bizivan. A three-door version of the Samara hatch, but with no rear seats and a focus on the commercial vehicle market.

A wooden floor, optional side windows with bars, and a 425kg payload made it cargo compatible. Priced from $10,655 when new, the Bizivan was over 20 per cent cheaper than a base model Corolla, while matching it for power and including a five-speed manual – one up over the four-speed Corolla.

Ssangyong Chairman

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Ssangyong, now KGM, is best known for its SUVs and utes, and perhaps little known for its tilt at the full-size prestige sedan market.

The Mercedes-Benz look-alike styling was no coincidence. Stemming from Benz’s investment in the Korean brand at the time, the chassis was derived from the much older W124 E-Class, and even the styling blended rejected elements proposed for the W202 C-Class.

The 3.2-litre inline six engine was, you guessed it, a Mercedes design, built under license. The combination of unusual bug-eyed looks, a two-generation-old chassis, and a $57K price when new – which could have got you a larger, more powerful Ford Fairlane – not to mention Ssangyong’s less-than-favourable reputation, meant the Chairman was a certified oddity on Aussie roads.

FSM Niki

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As late as 1993, you could buy what was essentially a Polish-built, air-cooled, two-cylinder Fiat 126, first designed in 1971. The back story is a bit more complicated than that, but FSM (which stood for Fabryka Samochodów Małolitrażowych, literally ‘small car factory’) offered Australia’s cheapest new car in the 1990s.

The $6000 price when new came with some compromises. No power steering, arguably not needed with so much weight at the back, no automatic transmission, no air conditioning, and with only 18kW, no real performance to speak of.

Despite petering out in Australia in 1993 as consumers demanded cheap compact cars with, well, anything at all, the FSM Niki – known by its original Fiat 126 moniker, made it to the year 2000 in overseas markets, by which time over 3.3 million units had been built in Poland.

First published in the October 1971 issue of Wheels magazine, Australia’s best car mag since 1953. Subscribe here and gain access to 12 issues for $109 plus online access to every Wheels issue since 1953.

HQ Monaro 350 is a better car than HG 350 ever was.

The contentious points in the HG model that journalists and owners complained about have, with one or two exceptions, all been dealt with competently and the result is a fine high performance machine.

And yet something is missing. It’s something the old car had in abundance. Something which is entirely subjective and something we can only put under the heading of – character.

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The HQ is a vastly superior car, make no mistake about that. But the old 350 was more than just a car. It was GMH’s nose-snub at the international General Motors’ edict of “no-racing”. It was a brute, subject to symphonic transmission tunes, uncomfortable at ordinary speeds, overbearing, a real masochist’s machine.

But it saved everything for those who drive quickly and intelligently. It made all the right engine noises, handled superbly above the speed limits and ran straight and true at two miles a minute in a fashion normally reserved for Italian exotic cars. It was an uncompromising production version of a genuine road racing machine. Carol Shelby would have understood, his first Shelby Mustangs were like that, before Ford added the effeminate touches.

Now the GM board room has got at the big Monaro. The engine’s rich bellow has gone, the ride is soft, the transmission is quiet and the handling is easier even if the roadholding is worse. But ultimately the new 350 is in a no-where-land between the luxury of the new LS 350 and the sportiness of the old model. 

But for all but one tiny per cent of a percentage of buyers HQ 350 is a better car and you can be sure there will be a sizeable increase in its overall share of the very healthy Monaro sales charts.

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If GMH had never built the old 350 the HQ would have seemed the greatest car the company could ever sell in Australia. And forgetting the “Command Performer” the HQ 350 is a damned fine motor car. It has all the performance anybody could ever want, it is quiet, smooth, fairly comfortable and built around the best looking body to come from a large Australian car manufacturer.

Where the old Monaro body was an obvious compromise between the four-door sedan and a genuine coupe the new car looks as if it was designed first. So instead of being a two-door version of the sedan it is the sedan which ·is a four-door version of the Monaro. 

The lower roofline of the Monaro and the beautifully integrated rear window blend so well with the overall styling it is hard to suggest any areas which could be improved. The wider wheels and big radial ply tyres, fitted to the test Monaro, give it the wide track look which is missing from the sedans.

The only problem with the styling is that stones thrown up on to the lower edges of the curved body are likely to chip off most of the paint in that region. Nasco is going to do a great trade in mudflaps for the HQ range. Even with its great looks GMH is deliberately shifting the sports emphasis away from the Monaro range to the Torana XU-1. The “S” in GTS is rather smaller than it was.

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As part of this plan, the new 350 gets the old 350 Automatic engine, which is rated at 275 bhp, compared with the old manual car’s 300bhp. The performance drop is small really until you get above the ton – the difference to 100mph is marginal and the top speed has dropped about five mph to a 122mph average although it will pull 125 one way.

Above 100 there isn’t the lift of old when you boot the car in fourth gear. This is academic really for few people will ever want or need more acceleration than this Monaro offers.

Our best standing quarter-mile time of 15.7 seconds required savage treatment with wheelspin and axle tramp up to 30mph. Smoother driving with less wheelspin and slightly slower shifts took this to 16 seconds dead but the difference in wear and tear on the car was enormous.

The engine is redlined at 5500rpm but it will run out beyond this in the indirects. For a big V8 it is a high-revving engine with a very smooth flow of power from as low as 500rpm in fourth. In fact, it can be used as a two-gear car around town.

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To get to the maximum speed requires a build up over three miles but 5000rpm (just under 125mph) is possible in fourth so there is no chance of over-revving the engine in top gear. Cruising at 100mph is a perfectly relaxed 4000rpm.

What really limits the Monaro’s value as a track car, for series production racing anyway, is the fitting of the standard Holden 16.5 gallon petrol tank instead of the 25 gallon tank used on all previous 350 Monaros. With the average fuel consumption during our 1400 mile road test working out to only 14.8 mpg – in racing conditions and during our performance testing it dropped to around 11 mpg – the touring range is inadequate considering the 350’s ability to put away the miles.

A full tank can be only two hours’ driving and to make things worse the fuel gauge reads in the red danger area when only 12-13 gallons have been used. It’s a brave man who will take a punt on reaching the next town before filling up.

And then there is the car’s handling and roadholding. The softer, almost European type ride has been won at the expense of roadholding. It is a compromise most Monaro owners will be willing to pay to get rid of the harsh, bump-ridden, truck-like ride of the old car. Certainly at town speeds the new 350 is so smooth and relaxing it is hard to believe it has any association with the old model at all and up high the stability and firmness are just right.

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But such is the grip provided by the rear suspension and tyres that it is only possible to break the tail loose on tight corners with full throttle acceleration in first or second gears. In every other condition it is the front wheels which run wide and a 60mph bend taken flat out in third sends the front end into the opposite lane. No amount of steering lock will combat the vast understeer, lifting off the accelerator tightens up the corner a little but the car is so stable it doesn’t even require an oversteer correction. Fiddling with the tyre pressures doesn’t alter the basic characteristics.

The old Monaro was a virtual neutral-steer car in such conditions. The new found understeer which is evident in the entire HQ range, might make things safer for the average driver, but, together with the lower power output and the small petrol tank, effectively kills the Monaro as a race car.

Everyone will appreciate the new gearbox though. It’s a fully imported American Muncie close-ratio box – where the old one moaned and sang on the over-run it is virtually noiseless. The shift is better, too, although it is still notchy but it is set-up so that the actual change is angled away from the horizontal movements of old. It is rather like a heavier version of the Escort Twin Cam change.

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If the old Monaro fell down anywhere from a competition point of view it was in braking. The brakes always seemed just adequate for the car’s performance and tended to pull after a couple of quick stops. We expected great things of the new 11-inch vented discs. In normal driving they are more pleasant to use with a very progressive feel, but a single stop from 100mph had our test driver wondering if the car was going to pull up at all from 20mph. Fade is a very real problem with the present brake linings.

In crash stops, too, the rear axle tramps and if the brakes are applied in anything but a straight line the tail starts to follow the front around. Nose dive is also one of the penalty’s which must be paid for the softer suspension.

In theory, the sophisticated rear suspension should, with its upper and lower control arms and coil springs, be free from any tramp but we are dubious about its ability to absorb the punishment it is likely to get with the 350 manual. The problem won’t occur with any other engine/transmission combination, there just isn’t enough power or torque, but during a full-blooded acceleration run the right rear shock absorber, which is mounted behind the axle and spring assembly, fractured.

In all of GMH’s testing this never happened and the company’s engineers were disturbed at our findings, to say the least. It turned out our Monaro was the first 350 built and because of some mistake on the assembly line it was fitted with the wrong shock absorbers.

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The tramp was caused because the Kingswood shockers fitted simply ran out of travel and began rebounding with the inevitable result. The Monaro 350 shockers have another 1.4 inches of travel and are slightly firmer and, according to GMH engineers, this cures all the tramp problems. Time prevented us from conducting any further tests on the car but we intend making exhaustive tests soon and will report back in a future issue.

Like everything else about the car the interior is all-new. It is exciting visually and dramatic enough to deserve the often used “jet-plane like” tag.

The instruments and controls are set into an engine-turned gun metal panel. Numerical calibrations have been deleted from the minor gauges but the 140mph speedometer and 7000rpm tacho are set-up for rapid read-out.

Indirect lighting, from the padding above, shows up the controls but it lacks the subtle brilliance of the old, behind the instruments lighting. The basic interior layout follows the pattern set by all the HQ models. The thin rim and sharp spokes of the old sports steering wheel have been replaced by an impressive three-spoke wheel with a thicker diameter, oval-shaped, rim which is much more pleasant to use. However, at the straight ahead two of the spokes hide the radio (with the standard transistor markings instead of the actual stations) and heater controls.

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Sadly the driving position isn’t as good as before. The new bucket seats, which look just great, are mounted too low and too close to the steering wheel. Tall drivers can find a reasonable position by reclining the squab a little but shorter people will discover that to reach the pedals they will be too close to the wheel.

The cushion is too soft on its leading edge and lacking in padding at the base of the squab so there is a tendency to slide forward. The squab itself is much taller than before for added shoulder support but its adjustment is no longer infinite and there is a lack of real lateral support.

After spending some time in a Kingswood with reclining buckets we have no hesitation in saying they were more comfortable, and better placed in relation to the steering wheel and controls, than those on the 350.

The pedals are slightly offset to the right but the brake and accelerator are correctly located for heel and toe changes. Most drivers will find the gear lever requires a long reach, especially if they try for a long arm driving position. The console luggage bin, even further forward of the gearlever, is almost impossible to use when belted in.

The lower roofline and more sharply raked windscreen of the Monaros places the driver further away from the control panel so, where on the Kingswood all the controls are easy to reach, those on the Monaro require a deliberate reach. Strangely the Monaro windows require 5.75 turns while those in the Kingswood need only four turns. There is still no headlight flasher or trip meter – both are considered essential on the cheapest European GT cars but GMH has yet to come around to this idea.

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Visibility, of course, is excellent through the wide windscreen and huge side windows and the two rear vision mirrors keep the driver informed about happenings rearward. There is very little wind noise except from around the external mirror and none of the whistle which comes from the old style quarter vents. Above 60mph the wipers, which cover virtually the entire screen, make a slight swishing noise which develops into a booming sound at 110 as the right hand blade approaches the windscreen pillar and begins to lift off. This would make an interesting study in aerodynamics.

The new flow-through ventilation system is excellent once the car is moving but it doesn’t work in conjunction with the fan. Stop-start traffic in hot weather requires a lowered window. The heater, too, does a fine job but the distribution set-up favours the driver’s left and passenger’s right leg.

There is room enough in the back seat for two adults, but only on short journeys, unless they can come to some arrangement with those up front. The rear seat cushion is short and close to the floor for reasonable head room. The big rear window is tinted to prevent sunstroke.

Two old Monaro problems – propping doors and water leaks around the rubber window seals – again reared their ugly heads in our 350. The massive doors are so long and heavy you can see the hinges quiver under pressure when the doors are opened. But the car as a whole feels enormously strong and solid.

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So the HQ Monaro makes it as an all-round high performance car with built-in pose value. As a comfortable, quiet, GT car it comes much closer to the very successful Falcon GT concept and as a town car it leaves the old Monaro way behind.

But the edge has gone off the handling and performance. Rumours of a 400 cube mill for a Bathurst special have been heard, but it is just a tale, nothing more.

With the suspension fiddled to give neutral steering, the old 350 engine and the current Kingswood seats the Monaro would have all the charm of the old car with the superb ride and beautiful body styling of the new.

In a market where sub-$25,000 new cars are rare, the Kia Picanto stands out as one of the last genuinely cheap cars you can still buy in Australia. It’s small, simple and city-friendly, which is at odds with how many new cars are larger, more advanced and more expensive than ever before.

The Picanto offers a refreshingly accessible entry point for anybody wanting low-cost motoring but still includes many modern features that we expect from a new car. In saying that, it’s also more expensive than it’s ever been before, so does the Picanto still deliver the value that made light hatchbacks so popular in the first place?

How much does the Picanto cost to buy? 

If you’ve got a budget of around $25,000 to spend on a new car, your choices are unfortunately slim, but all Picanto models fit under that price point. The entry-level Sport starts at $19,190 plus on-road costs for the manual and the now-automatic-only GT-Line sitting above the Sport priced from $22,590 +ORC.

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2026 Kia Picanto pricing (excluding on-road costs):

Once on-road costs are included in the price, our GT-Line auto test car in cool ‘Adventurous Green’ paintwork retails for $25,800 driveaway in New South Wales.

While stepping up to the GT-Line model adds cool features like the handsome 16-inch wheels, LED lighting and synthetic leather – ‘Premium’ in Kia jargon – upholstery, almost $26,000 driveaway for such a small car isn’t that cheap. Therefore, we think the entry-level Sport (around $23,500 driveaway for the auto) is better value for money as it shares most of the GT-Line’s equipment, including its lengthy standard safety feature list, but keeps pricing lower.

It’s well known that competitors to the Picanto are few and far between these days, but buyers still have options such as the MG 3, Mazda2, or if an EV makes sense to you, BYD Atto 1.

How fuel efficient is the Picanto? 

Reasonably, though probably not as efficient as you might expect. Rated at 6.0L/100km on the combined cycle, a Yaris hybrid this is not, and that’s thanks to the old 1.2-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine under the bonnet. Making just 62kW of power and 122Nm of torque, the Picanto is not a firecracker off the line. In fact, while Kia doesn’t provide an official 0-100km/h time, we’d guesstimate it to be around 13-14 seconds. 

It’s an adequate engine for around town driving, and the four-speed automatic is fine, though could be smarter in its shifting. It must be said that the former Picanto GT’s turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder was punchier and more fuel efficient than this engine. We miss it dearly but it’s no longer offered in the Picanto globally. If that engine made a comeback, the Picanto would be quicker, more refined and more fuel efficient. 

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There is a superior five-speed manual available, though Kia has killed that in the GT-Line model for the next model year, so if you want features like LED headlights, you’ve got to get the auto. Frustrating for some. 

For fuel consumption, the Picanto auto is rated at 6.0L/100km, and in driving skewed towards urban, we achieved a somewhat high 6.7L/100km. The Picanto’s larger Stonic small SUV sibling with the aforementioned 1.0-litre turbo three-pot making 88kW/172Nm outputs is not only more powerful, but it’s rated from just 5L/100km, so you can only imagine how efficient a Picanto with that drivetrain would be. 

Is the Picanto fun to drive? 

In a zippy, darty, tiny car sort of way, yep. It’s quite agile, and the steering offers a good amount of feel too, making it fun to drive. The visibility is excellent thanks to thin pillars, and its active safety systems are refined enough too, especially the helpful adaptive lane guidance. There’s no adaptive cruise control, however. 

In our test car at least, the ride of the GT-Line is quite firm. We actually had to check the tyre pressures to see if they were set too high, but alas, they were set to manufacturer specifications. In our time with it, we felt every bump that graced the Picanto’s wheels, and bigger ones were certainly a bit terse. At higher speeds, the ride settles down nicely, though more noise insulation would be great.  

How practical is the Picanto? 

Look, you’re not buying a Kia Picanto for its practicality alone… a Volvo this is not. It’s a light hatchback after all, but it can just about carry four adults reasonably well as rear headroom is good for six-footers. Legroom is tight, but it’s more practical than you’d first think, while there’s also a map pocket and USB-C charging port covering amenities, though nowhere to hold a bottle. 

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The boot measures 255 litres with the rear seats up and 1010 litres with them folded, which is surprisingly reasonable for such a small car. The boot is deep, though that means that there’s a big lip to lift luggage over and also a big lip once the rear seats are folded. We wish that Kia Australia offered the dual-level boot floor featured overseas to fix both issues. The boot is also largely devoid of features, though unlike the BYD Atto 1, at least there’s a light so you can see in there in the dark.

Moving to the front cabin, the Picanto offers a pleasing amount of tech and practicality for a car of its type. There’s a relatively modern 8.0-inch touchscreen in the centre, a 4.2-inch driver’s information display and plenty of places to store life’s trinkets, including covered storage in the central armrest. Both BYD and Mazda could learn from that last fact as both the Atto 1 and Mazda2 don’t feature any covered storage.

The 8.0-inch touchscreen is basic compared to newer Kia models, but at least it offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring. Screen quality is a bit grainy, but it’s quick and insanely easy to use. Sound quality from the six-speaker audio system is reasonable too.

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An updated Picanto in South Korea recently launched with more recent software from the Stonic and a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display to make the cabin look more modern, so hopefully it launches locally soon. While we’re moaning, we also miss out on features like heated front seats, automatic climate control and a sunroof. Perhaps a GT-Line+ model, Kia?

Practicality features include configurable cup holders and a tray under the dashboard, reasonable door bins, a few trays in the centre and a small box underneath the sliding central armrest. A huge car the Picanto is not, but its in-car storage solutions are thoughtful. 

How much does the Picanto cost to service? 

A surprisingly high amount, actually. Five years/75,000km of servicing the Picanto costs $2079, or an average of $416 per year. 

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Helping that cost is the Picanto’s standard seven-year/unlimited km warranty. There’s also 12 months of roadside assistance, which is extended by a further 12 months with each dealer service up to eight years in total. 

Picanto GT-Line standard features:

• 16-inch alloy wheels with a space-saver spare wheel
• Dusk-sensing automatic LED exterior lighting
• LED daytime running lights
• Intermittent manual wipers
• Heated and auto-folding mirrors
• Remote keyless entry
• Synthetic leather steering wheel and gear knob
• Synthetic leather seat upholstery
• Height-adjustable driver’s seat
• Manual air-conditioning
• Electric windows with remote open/close for the driver’s window
• 4.2-inch driver’s display
• 8.0-inch touchscreen
• Wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• AM/FM radio
• Bluetooth calling and audio streaming
• Six-speaker sound system
• 3x USB ports + front 12-volt socket
• Cruise control with a manual speed limiter
• 6x airbags 
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Lane keeping assistance with adaptive lane guidance
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert
• Safe exit alert
• Rear occupant alert
• Driver attention alert with lead vehicle departure alert
• Auto high beam
• Rear parking sensors
• Reversing camera
• Anti-theft alarm

Should I buy a Kia Picanto GT-Line? 

There’s definite appeal to the Kia Picanto GT-Line. From its sporty styling to its darty dynamics, it’s got a cheeky character that so many other cars are missing. It’s also quite simple to operate, which is refreshing in today’s market, it’s reasonably practical and it’s also covered by a long warranty.

Counting against it is the firm ride quality, old engine tech that makes it somewhat thirsty and slow and that its pricing has crept up to the point where the GT-Line auto no longer looks like the bargain it once was. But overall, we still quite like the Picanto and wish there were more cars like it in Australia.

Kia Picanto GT-Line specifications:

Australia’s domestic intelligence agency has cautioned politicians and government employees against discussing classified or sensitive matters inside vehicles, particularly those equipped with internet connectivity, due to the potential risk of surveillance and data collection.

The warning was delivered during a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday evening, where senior officials from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) were questioned about the security implications of modern connected vehicles.

As more Australians purchase cars that can connect to the internet, concerns are growing about how information generated inside those vehicles could be accessed, stored or transmitted. According to figures from Austroads, connected vehicles are expected to account for 93 per cent of all new vehicle sales by 2031. More than 1.2 million such vehicles were already operating on Australian roads by 2021.

Connected vehicles typically use built-in SIM cards or pair with smartphones to access online services and communicate with external networks. These systems support a range of functions, including remote vehicle management, software updates delivered over the air, navigation services and advanced infotainment features.

Some of these vehicles are available to federal parliamentarians through government-funded vehicle allowance programs, raising questions about whether they could present a security risk when used by elected representatives.

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When asked whether MPs should avoid vehicles manufactured in China, ASIO Deputy Director-General Lisa Alonso Love said the broader concern was not limited to any particular brand or country of origin.

She told the hearing that sensitive discussions should only occur in secure environments specifically designed for handling classified information.

“Whether a vehicle is connected to the internet or not, our advice is that parliamentarians and public servants should not discuss classified or sensitive information inside vehicles,” she said.

Ms Alonso Love noted that internet-connected vehicles may provide additional avenues through which information could potentially be collected or accessed. For that reason, she stressed the importance of restricting high-security conversations to approved secure locations.

She also urged officials to remain aware of the information they discuss while travelling, warning that conversations held inside vehicles may not always remain private.

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) has previously highlighted cybersecurity risks associated with connected vehicles, noting that the level of risk varies depending on the technology installed and the degree of connectivity.

Modern telematics systems can gather significant amounts of data, which is often transmitted to vehicle manufacturers or external service providers. Information collected may include location data, driving habits, audio recordings, images captured inside or outside the vehicle, and details obtained from connected smartphones.

Depending on the system, vehicles may also store access to call records, text messages, contact lists and calendar information.

The ASD has warned that some of this data may be stored overseas, where Australian privacy and data protection laws may not apply, potentially creating additional security and privacy concerns for users.

Denza, the luxury arm of BYD, has announced an over-the-air software update designed to improve off-road control and ease of use when towing.

The plug-in hybrid B5 (below) and B8 (main) off-roaders will start receiving the version 1.1.0 software update free of charge as of this week.

Towing functionality for the Denza B5 is improved via a new, dedicated towing mode switch in the infotainment display, and cruise control compatibility while using towing mode, designed to improve fatigue management and comfort on longer trips.

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Trailer weight selection is also added, allowing owners to input the details of their trailer, from which Denza claims the vehicle can adjust performance parameters and make changes to related electronic safety and stability systems.

The larger Denza B8 gains the same cruise control in towing mode functionality, and a dynamic range estimation to more accurately portray remaining electric and overall range based on driving conditions.

 Off-road functionality has been improved through changes to traction control management and control software updates to wheel speed and electric motor torque management, some of which were validated from runs up Queensland’s challenging Beer O’Clock Hill off-road course during testing earlier in the year.

In-cabin changes include the addition of an available driver password lock as an additional security feature and changes to the power-folding seats.

The electrically-operated second-row seats in the B5 and B8, and third row in the B8, feature improved resistance detection, designed to stop the folding motion when an occupant or object is detected, preventing possible injury.

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Since launching in Australia in late 2025, Denza has expanded its dealer network to 12 sites across the country.

Year-to-date sales to the end of April show 729 B5s delivered, ahead of closest rival, the GWM Tank 500 on 411 sales, but behind off-road focused Large SUV rivals like the Ford Everest (7081) and Toyota LandCruiser Prado (6385).

The larger, more expensive Denza B8 has recorded 394 sales, against key rivals like the Nissan Patrol (1785) and Toyota LandCruiser (3867).

How much does the Ford Ranger cost to buy?

There’s a bewildering array of Ranger models to choose from, beyond the most obvious choice – that being the choice of engine. There’s cab-chassis or pick-up, single, super and double-cab bodies available, and then the steps between the model grades beyond that.

If you concentrate on 4×4 models, Ranger can be had from $45,600 for the XL single-cab chassis, 2.0-litre, single turbo variant. That price is before on-road costs and represents a $2630 price reduction from the previous price structure.

At the other end of the pricing scale, the Ranger Platinum dual-cab pick-up with the 3.0-litre, V6 engine costs $80,890 before on-road costs (no change from previous pricing). That’s just taking into account diesel engines of course, with the petrol-powered Raptor costing more again.

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New to the range is the limited-edition Ranger Wolftrak, which gets green exterior highlights across the grille and doors, black 17-inch wheels with a lime green-coloured insert, a 360-degree camera, extra-length black alloy sports bar, honeycomb grille design, and Wolftrack emblems embossed into the seats. It starts from $70,990 before on-road costs with the V6 engine, and sits above the XLT model grade and below Tremor.

The model we’ve detailed in the specs at the end of this article (and pictured) is the 4×4 XL Double-Cab Pick-Up, which starts from $57,900 before on-road costs. Keep in mind also, that purchasing a four-cylinder Ranger means you can only access RWD or part-time 4WD, with full-time 4WD only available on the more expensive V6 variants.

How powerful is the Ford Ranger?

Gone is the bi-turbo four-cylinder engine, with the 2.0-litre, single-turbo four-cylinder doing duty for those not wanting a V6. The deletion of the bi-turbo was, according to Ford, part of a global change to the line-up, despite previously being the most popular engine.

The single-turbo engine has been revised with a new fuel injection system and a timing chain replacing the troublesome wet-belt set-up that was used previously. According to Ford, those changes improve durability and performance. Also going the way of the dodo is the six-speed automatic transmission, previously available lower down the range, replaced by the 10-speed automatic. With the changes, the V6 is now available across 13 of the 22 Ranger variants, compared to five of 21 variants with the last model.

The four-cylinder engine generates 125kW at 3500rpm and 405Nm between 1750rpm and 2500rpm, while the V6 makes 184kW at 3250rpm and 600Nm between 1750rpm and 2250rpm. Even on paper, you can see that the V6 reaches its peak power and torque figures slightly lower in the rev range, part of the reason it has such an effortless feel no matter what sort of driving you’re doing.

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How fuel efficient is the Ford Ranger?

With the V6 now more widely available across the Ranger model line-up, we’ve concentrated on that engine for the specifications at the end of this story. However, a quick look at the specs for the single-turbo four-cylinder diesel reveal that it uses a claimed 7.2L/100km in the same XL grade as the V6 we’ve detailed there.

The V6, in XL guise then, uses a claimed 8.3L/100km, which, given the capability and performance of the drivetrain, is more than acceptable. In the real world, expect to use between 9.5 and 10.5L/100km, depending on the type of driving you’re doing, as we’ve done in testing previously. If you’re towing a heavy trailer long distances, expect that usage to climb further.

If fuel efficiency is your primary concern at the time of purchase and you’ve already decided on a Ranger, then the four-cylinder is the way to go. Combined with the 10-speed automatic, the four-cylinder is smooth, efficient and enjoyable to drive. However, if grunt and capability are the focus, the V6 clearly trumps the four-cylinder.

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Is the Ford Ranger practical?

Our brief launch drive covers outer urban highway running, light-duty off-road driving in low-range, and higher-speed sealed surface test track driving. As it has done since launch, the Ranger – regardless of engine or model grade – continues to do what Aussies will want it to do with ease.

The farewell of the maligned wet-belt engine for a much more durable timing chain system is a bonus, with the four-cylinder now benefitting from the 10-speed automatic across the range. While the six-speed auto wasn’t a bad transmission, the 10-speed’s smooth changes and extra ratios make good use of the engine’s power and torque, and it’s always an easy combination at any speed.

Where the Ranger excels most is in its duality of character. It’s capable of long distance touring on sealed roads in comfort, but also capable off-road, when low-range is selected and the going gets tough. Both engines will tackle off-road work easily enough, but the big dog V6 does everything easier, and features the benefit of full-time 4WD on the road if you want it.

The price of admission isn’t cheap as you climb further up the model range, but even the base Ranger feels like your money has been well spent. That’s enhanced by the presence of the V6 engine, and while you do get more for more if you dig deeper at the time of purchase, you don’t necessarily ‘need’ all the niceties that come with the more expensive variants either.

Ranger’s unladen ride is as good as any of the leaf-sprung brigade, with the feeling from behind the wheel one of insulation and solidity. It can still skip over harsh, repeated ruts at highway speed, but doesn’t feel disconcerting when it does. As good as dual-cabs have become, you’re still making some compromises when a vehicle like this is your daily driver, and outright bump absorption and ride quality is one such area.

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What warranty covers the Ford Ranger?

Ranger is covered by Ford’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, in what is now considered the effective minimum for the market in Australia. With some brands offering seven years’ coverage, and others extending as far as ten (if you service the vehicle at an authorised dealer), five is less eye-catching than it used to be.

Service costs are competitive, relative to the others in the segment, with Ranger costing $1596 over the first five years of ownership. A visit to your service centre is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

Should I buy the Ford Ranger?

Australia’s love for dual cabs continues and with this subtle shift in what you get and what you pay to get it, Ford is looking to ensure the ongoing strength of what is one of Australia’s favourite vehicles.

If you tow or love long distance touring, the V6 diesel remains the engine of choice, given how easily it does what buyers will need it to do. In the sense of getting to work, bigger is still better – or certainly easier. However, if you spend most of your time driving in urban areas for work or leisure, the revised four-cylinder single turbo is capable.

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Ford Australia says its watching the competition with a keen eye on how competitors are tackling the dual-cab segment. It would be mad not to, with competition fiercer than its ever been. The Ford Ranger remains a strong option with appeal for all the obvious reasons. Continuing to appeal to new car buyers will be harder than ever, though.

Additional Ranger Equipment Highlights

• Driver Assist Technology’ bar added to cab-chassis variants
• Digital reversing camera
• Rear parking sensors
• Blind-spot monitoring (XLT gets Trailer Coverage)
• Rear autonomous emergency braking
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Lane-change warning and aid
• Matrix LED headlights (Wildtrak)
• Bang and Olufsen premium audio (Wildtrak)
• Heavy-duty suspension (XLT dual-cab chassis)
• 12.0-inch touchscreen (for XL, XLS and XLT)
• Dual-zone climate control (standard for XL)
• Rear air vents (for XLT double-cab)

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Specifications: Ford Ranger XL

How much does the Ford Everest cost to buy?

The most significant changes, for this model update, are beneath the skin and on the specification sheet. For starters, Everest Ambiente and Trend have been dropped, with Everest Active introduced to the range. The most significant new feature highlight is the 12.0-inch touchscreen, standard across the range.

Under the bonnet, the bi-turbo four-cylinder engine is gone, with the 2.0-litre, single-turbo four-cylinder taking its place in the range for buyers not wanting the V6 diesel. The 2.0-litre has been revised, with new fuel injection fitted, along with a timing chain replacing the troublesome wet belt set-up on the old engine, something that caused issue with owners. Ford says the change improves durability and performance.

Within the Everest range, the V6 engine is now available from the entry-grade up, a significant change to the options for buyers. The single-turbo four-cylinder is new to the Everest range, and can be had in Active and Sport grades. Keep in mind, too, that like Ranger, an Everest with the four-cylinder is part-time 4WD only.

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The new Everest range, now looks like this, before on-road costs are added:

The sweet spot in the Everest range, so far as we’re concerned is the mid-grade Sport. Pick your poison in regard to the engine you prefer, but Sport is well-equipped and has everything you need. Our pricing and specification list below, details the competitive entry to the Everest range, the Active with the 2.0-litre engine. If you’re on a tighter budget than the Sport allows, the Active is well worth considering, given the sub-60k pricing for the entry grade model.

How powerful is the Ford Everest?

If you buy an Everest powered by the revised four-cylinder, you get 125kW at 3500rpm and 405Nm between 1750rpm and 2500rpm, outputs that matched the outgoing 2.0-litre engine’s numbers, but there’s now a 10-speed automatic across the range, including the four-cylinder engine, which used to be backed by a six-speed auto.

The old, bi-turbo made a fair bit more power and torque than the 2.0-litre, 154kW and 500Nm to be exact. According to Ford, the reason that engine is gone is down to a global strategy decision, rather than an Australian market one, but its worth mentioning it was the most popular engine choice previously.

Step up to the V6 engine, and you get a significant jump in power as you’d expect, with 184kW on offer at 3250rpm and 600Nm available between 1750rpm and 2250rpm. As is the case wherever two different engine variants are available, the recommendation comes down to the type of driving you do.

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If you tow a reasonably heavy trailer semi-regularly, or a heavy trailer occasionally, the V6 is the pick. Likewise for long-distance, off-road touring. The V6 just does thinks easier than the smaller engine. However, if like most of us, you live in the urban confines and rarely leave them, the 2.0-litre, especially now its mated to the excellent ten-speed, is a clever choice.

How fuel efficient is the Ford Everest?

Ford claims a range of fuel use figures based on not just the engine size, but also the specification grade of the Everest. The Active and Sport with the 2.0-litre use a claimed 7.1L/100km on the combined cycle. The Active, Sport and Platinum with the V6 all use a claimed 8.5L/100km, while the Tremor with the V6 is the thirstiest of the bunch, using a claimed 9.3L/100km on the combined cycle.

You can expect, for regular around town running, to use somewhere between 1.5L and 2.0L more than those claimed across all model grades. However, if you’re towing a heavy trailer, or executing low-range off-road work, that figure will climb even more. We’ll report back with more detailed fuel use figures, once we drive the Everest post launch. But, with an 80-litre fuel tank under the rear, you’ve got a good touring window on the open road.

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Is the Ford Everest practical?

While the Everest is a practical conveyance around town for family buyers, it really comes into its own on the open road. When you get out of the city, and head along the kid of rural roads so many Aussies use every day, the concept of, and the flexibility offered by, a large SUV make a hell of a lot of sense. Around town, as is the case with all the SUVs in this segment, the heft needs to be taken into account. You’re stopping between 2245kg and 2480kg depending on model grade, so there’s a hefty 4WD at your control. That said, Everest doesn’t feel ungainly around town, even on the tighter city streets.

However, the extra string in the Everest bow is it’s ‘proper’ 4WD capability. Where most large SUVs are now unashamedly designed for the school or grocery run, the Everest retains genuine off-road and touring ability, which is one of the reasons Aussie buyers love it as much as they do.

V6 or four-cylinder, the cruising capability is excellent, with the ten-speed automatic working away as seamlessly as it has since we first tested it. Once it settles into high gear at freeway speed, the Everest is quite and composed inside the cabin. Around town, in give and take driving, the transmission can hunt a little bit as it works through the ten available ratios, but it’s not intrusive either, so the sense of calm inside the cabin, isn’t affected.

Ford has struck – and this is a benefit of a vehicle being developed with Australia in mind from the outset – a lovely balance between ride quality and handling acumen. It’s not easy to make something this big ride as well as it does, while also tipping into a corner without feeling like it’s going to tip over. And yet, Ford has done just that, ensuring that there are no hair-raising moments behind the wheel. It’s worth noting, in a similar way to Commodore and Falcon, Everest does illicit that feeling that it was designed and built in this country, for this country. Without getting too misty-eyed of course.

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Where the V6 is understandably the punchier of the two, it doesn’t feel alarmingly fast. Rather, it’s a lazier, more effortless take on doing the same thing, always with enough power in reserve, no matter what you need it to do, Everest has plenty of cabin space, regardless of seat layout, a huge boot, and comfort across all main seating positions. As a long haul family tourer, it’s capable and comfortable.

With the third row in use, you still get a handy 259 litres, expanding out to 898 litres with the second row in use, and then a whopping 1823 litres with both the second and third row folded.

What warranty covers the Ford Everest?

Everest is covered by Ford’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, in what is now considered the effective minimum for the market in Australia. With some brands offering seven years’ coverage, and others extending as far as ten (if you service the vehicle at an authorised dealer), five is less eye-catching than it used to be.

Service costs are competitive, relative to the others in the segment, with Everest costing $1596 over the first five years of ownership. A visit to your service centre is required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

Should I buy the Ford Everest?

It might seem a redundant point to assess whether Australians ‘should’ buy a Ford Everest – they already are and in their droves. As such, you could mount a fair argument that Everest is already doing exactly what Aussie SUV buyers want it to do.

However, the deleting of the bi-turbo engine, the changes to the mechanical of the single-turbo four-cylinder (same power and torque outputs though) and the broadened availability of the V6 diesel engine constitute the most significant changes to the model since it was launched.

While there’s not necessarily a more compelling reason to consider an Everest than their was before, there’s certainly a broader palette from which to select the model that suits your needs and budget. In the face of renewed and increasing competition, Australia’s favourite large SUV shows no signs of slowing down.

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Revised Ford Everest new equipment highlights

• 360-degree camera standard for Sport and Tremor grades
• Tyre pressure monitoring added to Sport
• Heated and ventilated front seats with 10-way driver, eight-way front passenger power
• adjustment now standard for Tremor
• Third-row seat delete now available as an option on Tremor

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Specifications: Ford Everest Active

Ferrari’s production logic has always been to build fewer cars than there is demand for. Scarcity drives demand. Demand ensures cars don’t need to be discounted or run out at a loss.

But Ferrari’s 2025 sales results did something atypical: they went backwards. A small shift, less than 1 per cent, but a decrease nonetheless. Regionally, the shift in China – viewed as a key market by almost every carmaker – was bigger, with Ferrari sales slipping since 2022 owing to unique conditions there.

The Luce exists to reverse that trend. It’s a bold gamble, particularly when China makes up less than 10 per cent of Ferrari’s global sales, and one model risks alienating the other 90 per cent.

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The Luce solves a number of problems for Ferrari. On one hand, import levies, luxury taxes, and consumption penalties can more than double the price of a new Ferrari in China. For the ultra-rich, that may not be a problem, but registering a combustion car can see owners face delays of up to two years.

Money can’t fix that problem, but EVs skip the queue on registration delays, and are exempt from a 40 per cent consumption tax. The Luce’s goal is not to be affordable, but to be accessible in a market where visible wealth is valued more highly than quiet luxury.

But, none of that addresses why the Luce looks the way it does, although at the Ferrari EV’s reveal, Ferrari’s chief marketing and commercial officer, Enrico Galliera (below), is quoted as saying, “The key driver the carmaker is targeting is someone who already owns an electric car.”

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Not supercar drivers, not existing Ferrari faithful. Ferrari’s pitch is aimed at wealthy electric vehicle owners already familiar with the technology. The highest concentration of which lives in China.

Without decades of conditioned understanding about Ferrari’s history, the brand has had to push harder for acceptance and has tailored cars like the FF, and the successive Purosangue to look like global models, but with an eye on buyers that want something more practical and comfortable in an emerging market with no real supercar history.

The buying history for billionaire EV owners looks different because the cars available to them so far have looked less like a Ferrari and more like, well, a Luce.

As far back as 2012, Ferrari broker, Ferrari’s Online declared, “The reality is that very few Enzo-Era Ferraris have gone to China, and it will be a long wait before they go in volume – if ever,” referencing a lack of demand for highly collectible models fancied in other parts of the world, produced before the death of company founder, Enzo Ferrari, in 1988.

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Ferrari’s strategy may seem at odds with the likes of Porsche and Lamborghini, which have cancelled EV plans in favour of reviving high-performance combustion programs. At a time when the USA is softening emissions regulations, the need for an electric Ferrari is surely reduced.

Often, Western media coverage tends to ignore how different the Chinese market can be.

Ferrari has not approached the Luce without taking some risks. Where the overwhelming majority of new cars in China focus on screen real estate, Ferrari has opted for an interior with a degree of tactile controls.

The reveal of the Luce sent shockwaves through social media and rocked the company’s share price, but if the buyer profile Ferrari is chasing exists, the Luce may not be the blemish in the brand’s history that an audience never intended for the car, say it is.