The Chery Omoda 5 small SUV from China – which marks the brand’s return to Australia after an eight-year absence – will cost less than $40,000 drive-away and come with a seven-year warranty when deliveries begin next month.

• 2023 Chery Omoda 5 initial pricing and specifications
• Priced from less than $40,000 drive-away
• Seven-year warranty, 40 dealers at launch
• First deliveries due in March 2023

The 2023 Chery Omoda 5 – the first new model from Chinese brand Chery, which returns to Australia after an eight-year absence – is set to be priced from less than $40,000 drive-away and come with a seven-year warranty when showroom arrivals commence in March 2023.

The Omoda 5 – the first in a range of cars to come from the relaunched Chery brand – is a rival for small SUVs including the Mazda CX-30, Subaru XV and Toyota C-HR, as well as budget offerings such as the MG ZST and GWM Haval Jolion.

The Chinese car maker has today announced details of standard features – and an indicative price for the cheapest model in the range – however detailed information and exact prices are due closer to showroom arrivals.

Chery’s first attempt to enter the Australian market from 2011 to 2015 saw it offer the cheapest new car on sale in Australia – the $9990 drive-away J1 city hatch.

The relaunched Chery range aims to undercut Japanese and South Korean rivals.

While poor safety ratings – and an asbestos recall – were part of the reasons behind Chery’s withdrawal from Australia in 2015, all models in the new Omoda 5 range will be fitted as standard with a full suite of advanced safety technology and come with a five-star safety score.

Two model grades will initially be available – both with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and front-wheel drive – and a choice of seven colours.

The company says pre-orders are due to open shortly, and the first Australian examples have arrived ahead of the first customer deliveries in March.

Chery vehicles will sold through a network of 40 dealerships around Australia – initially focused in capital cities in every state and territory – with national drive-away prices.

The cars will be supported by a seven-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty – matching rivals MG and GWM Haval – with seven years of roadside assistance, while customers will also be able to opt for Chery vehicle finance within the national dealer network.

Service intervals are 12 months or 10,000km for the 1.5-litre turbo models, though the future 1.6-litre turbo models may command different service intervals.

Each of the first five services is due to cost “comfortably” less than $300 each, according to Chery executives – which compares favourably to market leader Toyota, which charges $250 for the first five services of a C-HR small SUV.

All Chery Omoda 5 models at launch will be powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with outputs of 115kW and 230Nm, and a continuously-variable automatic transmission (CVT).

The claimed fuel consumption is 6.9 litres per 100km, with 91-octane regular unleaded fuel supported.

A 1.6-litre turbo-petrol model with front- or all-wheel drive is due in the second half of this year – ahead of an electric model in the first half of next year. A plug-in hybrid is in development, but it is unclear if it would come to Australia.

Chery executives would not be drawn on whether the price of the entry-level Omoda 5 – which is due to start with a three – will be closer to $30,000 or $40,000 drive-away.

Specifications confirmed by Chery Australia show the entry-level Omoda 5 variant will be equipped similarly to a high-specification MG ZST – priced from $31,000 to $34,000 drive-away – or a mid-trim GWM Haval Jolion Lux ($30,990 drive-away).

Prices for the high-grade Omoda 5 EX – and the upcoming EX+ and EX+ AWD with 1.6-litre turbo engines – are yet to be confirmed. Chery says the electric model will be priced “competitively”.

More details of the 2023 Chery Omoda 5 are due closer to launch.

2023 Chery Omoda 5 Australian pricing

• Omoda 5 FWD – less than $40,000 drive-away
• Omoda 5 EX FWD – TBC
• Omoda 5 EX+ FWD – TBC
• Omoda 5 EX+ AWD – TBC

2023 Chery Omoda 5 standard features:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Six-way power-adjustable front sports seats
• Synthetic leather-look upholstery
• 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay (wireless), Android Auto, voice control
• 10.25-inch digital instrument display
• Wireless smartphone charging
• Keyless (sensor-key) entry with push-button start
• Dusk-sensing LED headlights with auto high beam
• LED tail-lights with scrolling indicators
• Advanced safety features, which are expected to include:
  • Autonomous emergency braking
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • Lane-keep assist
  • Lane-change assist
  • Blind-spot monitoring
  • Rear cross-traffic alert
  • Traffic sign recognition

2023 Chery Omoda 5 EX adds (over base):

• Sunroof with power opening
• Power tailgate
• 360-degree camera
• Four-way power passenger-seat adjustment
• Heated front seats and steering wheel
• Red brake calipers
• Illuminated sun visors
• LED puddle lights
• LED exterior ‘welcome’ lights
• Rear-seat ambient LED lighting

The post 2023 Chery Omoda 5 priced below $40,000 drive-away, key details released appeared first on Drive.

When something isn’t right with your car, how would you best describe it to the mechanic?

A YouTube channel in the US has released a compilation video featuring car problems that have been creatively described by the customers.

From a car that sounds like a howling husky to a farting Ford, these hilarious descriptions perfectly match the vehicle ailments.

The clip, compiled by YouTube channel Just Rolled In even explains what is causing the animalistic noises.

For example, the Kia Optima that sounds like a goose, had a minor scrape that affected the front suspension’s lower control arm and wheel. A flatulent Ford demonstrates a common fault with the evaporative emission control system (EVAP).

While the descriptions and noises are very funny, it does serve as a reminder that regular maintenance is the best way to avoid any barnyard noises from your car, and that if it ever does start whistling or screaming out of character, you should probably get it checked.

The post Video: Customer tells workshop ‘my car sounds like a dolphin’ – and it does! appeared first on Drive.

We’ve all spotted drivers using a cheeky pair of AirPods on the road, but is it actually legal to drive while wearing headphones? We ask the experts.

With the advent of smartphones, driver distraction is becoming one of the most prevalent causes of accidents on Australian roads.

Although texting while driving is a clear no-no, the rules around other smartphone-related behaviours can be less clear-cut – like whether it’s illegal to drive while wearing headphones.

MORE: Is it legal to drive barefoot?
MORE: Is it legal to turn right in front of a tram?

From a small set of AirPods to a massive pair of over-ear mufflers, plenty of road users are choosing to bypass their car’s inbuilt audio system by streaming their phone calls and music directly to their ears.

So, is driving with headphones actually legal?

Put simply, yes. But while there is no law specifically banning the use of headphones when driving, there are a few major exceptions.

If you can’t hear the road environment, if you’re using headphones to take calls on your phone, if you’re a learner driver or a P-plater, or if headphones are found to have contributed to a car accident, you might be in strife.

To get the specifics, we approached the police and road authorities in each state for more information.

Is it illegal to drive with headphones in New South Wales?

There is no specific law prohibiting the using of headphones while driving New South Wales, but there is a NSW Road Rule 291 (1) that requires a driver to have proper control of the vehicle, which could come into play if you’re wearing headphones.

If the NSW Police found that a driver’s use of headphones meant they were not in proper control of the vehicle, they could be fined $481 and three demerit points. 

This increases to $603 and four demerit points in a school zone.

Additionally, you may face further penalties if you’re using your phone to make or receive calls or play audio from a mobile phone. 

Under NSW Road Rule 300, mobile phones can only make calls or play audio if they are secured in a mounting affixed to the vehicle, and/or aren’t being held or touched by the driver at any point. 

Drivers wearing headphones while illegally using their mobile phone could face a fine of $362 and five demerit points, which rises to $481 if the offence takes place in a school zone.

Additionally, learner drivers and probationary drivers or P-platers cannot wear headphones to perform call or audio functions with their mobile phone under any circumstances, even if the phone has hands-free functionality.

Is it illegal to drive with headphones in Victoria?

It is not illegal to wear headphones while driving in Victoria.

However, Victorian road authorities still deem this behavior dangerous and warn it can result in prosecution in certain cases.

For example, if a driver involved in a crash was found to be distracted by headphone use, this could result in penalties.

Additionally, much like in New South Wales, headphone use that’s associated with illegal phone use (i.e. touching or holding your unsecured phone while driving) is strictly prohibited and can attract a penalty of $555 and four demerit points, and up to 10 court penalty units ($1849).

Is it illegal to drive with headphones in Queensland?

“In Queensland, a driver must always have proper control of their vehicle and drive with care and attention for the safety of other road users,” a spokesperson for Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads told Drive.

“While there are no specific laws prohibiting a driver from wearing headphones while driving, it is up to the driver to ensure they remain in proper control of their vehicle and sufficiently alert to the road environment.

“Drivers who drive while using headphones must ensure they can still hear the road environment to drive safely, for example the sound of sirens from approaching emergency service vehicles or the sound of another vehicle’s horn alerting them to a potential danger.

“Drivers who drive carelessly or without proper control can face fines of up to $575 and three demerit points.

“Learner and P-plate drivers are prohibited from using any function of a mobile phone while driving and this includes using headphones to make or receive calls and listen to music. The penalty for this is $1078 and four demerit points.”

Is it illegal to drive with headphones in South Australia?

The rules around driving with headphones in South Australia are consistent with other states – it’s not specifically prohibited, but can lead to prosecution if headphones are found to have contributed to driver distraction.

“A person must not drive a vehicle without due care or attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road,” South Australia’s road safety body advises.

“The maximum court imposed penalty for driving without due care is $2500.”

Additionally, if a driver’s headphone use is seen to be associated with illegal phone use, this could attract penalties.

“The driver of a vehicle (except an emergency vehicle or police vehicle) must not use a mobile phone while the vehicle is moving, or is stationary but not parked, unless the driver is exempt from this rule under another law of this jurisdiction,” SA’s road safety body states.

“This does not apply to a driver using a mobile phone that is secured in a mounting affixed to the vehicle or is remotely operated by means of a device affixed to the vehicle or worn by the driver in the manner intended by the manufacturer and the phone is not being held by the driver.”

Is it illegal to drive with headphones in the Australian Capital Territory?

Much like in other states, wearing headphones while driving is not specifically prohibited in the Australian Capital Territory, but can still result in fines.

“There are no specific laws that ban wearing headphones while driving, although the police can still fine a driver if they believe the driver is not in full control of their vehicle,” an ACT Policing spokesperson told Drive.

Is it illegal to drive with headphones in Tasmania?

There is no specific offence relating to driving with headphones in Tasmania.

Much like in other states, if the wearing of headphones is associated with illegally using a mobile phone, or if it is found to contribute to an accident, this could result in prosecution.

You can read the full list of Tasmania’s road rules here.

Is it illegal to drive with headphones in Western Australia?

No, it’s not illegal to drive with headphones in Western Australia, according to a spokesperson for WA Police.

As with other states, there are likely to be exceptions if the headphones contribute to driver distraction, or are connected with illegal mobile phone use.

Is it illegal to drive with headphones in the Northern Territory?

According to the Darwin Traffic team from the NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services, it is not illegal to drive with headphones in the Northern Territory.

You can drive wearing headphones as long as you can maintain proper control of your vehicle and as long as your headphones are not connected to illegal use of a phone while driving.

The post Is it legal to drive with headphones in Australia? appeared first on Drive.

Tesla has increased prices for the second time in a week – this time for all-wheel-drive Model 3 and Model Y variants – after price cuts of up to $3907 last month.

Prices of the 2023 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y electric cars have risen for the second time in a week – more than a month after they were cut by up to $3900.

The Tesla Australia website shows the Model 3 Long Range and Performance, and Model Y Performance have been hit with $400 increases to their list prices.

Once Luxury Car Tax is applied to the prices of the Performance models – which are above the threshold – the price increase amounts to $520.

The starting prices for these models including Luxury Car Tax are now $77,300 for the Model 3 Long Range, $91,915 for the Model 3 Performance, and $98,415 for the Model Y Performance.

A Model Y Long Range is available overseas, but it is yet to be introduced in Australia.

The Long Range and Performance price rises follow a $400 price hike for the rear-wheel-drive versions of the Model Y and Model 3 a week ago – and price cuts of up to $3907 across all Model 3 and Model Y variants in early January.

If previous price increases for Tesla cars in Australia are a guide, customers waiting in the queue will be protected from the price changes, and the higher prices will apply to orders placed from today.

Most car companies tend to ride the wave of currency fluctuations – and increase or decrease prices as a last resort – but the frequent changes in Tesla prices indicate the company is may be closely following customer demand and exchange rates.

2023 Tesla Model 3 Australian pricing including Luxury Car Tax (where applicable) but excluding on-road costs and order fees

• Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive – $64,300
• Model 3 Long Range AWD – $77,300 (up $400)
• Model 3 Performance AWD – $91,915 (up $520 including LCT, $400 excl. LCT)

2023 Tesla Model Y Australian pricing including Luxury Car Tax (where applicable) but excluding on-road costs and order fees

• Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive – $69,300
• Model Y Performance AWD – $98,415 (up $520 including LCT, $400 excl. LCT)

Tesla Model 3 price changes in Australia

Tesla Model Y price changes in Australia

Prices listed above include Luxury Car Tax (where applicable) because it is industry practice to include LCT, however Tesla excludes it from its base price. The RRPs listed above also exclude Tesla’s $1375 delivery fee and $350 ordering fee ($150 prior to December 2021), and exclude on-roads costs such as stamp duty, registration, and compulsory third-party insurance. From 6 January 2023, Tesla’s delivery fee increased to $1400 and the ordering fee increased to $400. Sources: RJ Pound, Redbook and Tesla. Data compiled by Drive.com.au data centre, Joshua Dowling and Alex Misoyannis.

The post More 2023 Tesla Model Y, Model 3 prices rise weeks after cuts appeared first on Drive.

Up to half-a-million owners of Hyundai and Kia cars in Australia are being urged to sign up to a class action – lodged in Federal Court this week – due to the high risk of engine failures and fires.

Up to half-a-million owners in Australia of Hyundai and Kia cars have been asked to sign up to a class action over the “unacceptable” risk of engine failures and fires.

The legal action was lodged in the Federal Court this week by Sydney law firm Johnson Winter Slattery.

Customers can sign up to the class action at no cost – whether or not their car has experienced an engine failure or caught fire – and could be awarded compensation if the court rules against the car giants.

The class action covers certain Hyundai and Kia cars powered by 1.6-litre, 2.0-litre, and 2.4-litre petrol engines – and includes a mix of sedans, hatchbacks and SUVs.

Thirteen Hyundai models are listed as part of the class action, including vehicles built from 2007 to the present day.

Kia has nine affected models – manufactured from 2009 to the present day – listed in the class action.

Affected Hyundai and Kia cars are listed below.

While the applicants will be represented by Johnson Winter Slattery, the class action is being funded by London-based legal organisation Woodsford.

In a media statement, Woodsford claims Hyundai and Kia were aware of engine defects as far back as 2015.

In a media statement, Woodsford’s chief investment officer Charlie Morris said: “The myriad of defects with these cars is bad enough. But the fact that Hyundai and Kia knew about the defects these cars had, but continued to sell them regardless is unacceptable. We are determined to hold them to account and ensure that Australian consumers receive the compensation they are due.”

The latest Hyundai and Kia class action comes after a local firm Bannister Law into began preliminary investigations last year.

The class action in Australia comes after a $US1.3 billion ($AU1.9 billion) settlement against a similar range of vehicles – for similar faults – in the US, where more than 4 million vehicles were affected.

When asked for comment, Hyundai Australia said: “Hyundai Motor Company Australia stands by the integrity and reliability of its vehicles. We are disappointed about the class actions but will consider the allegations carefully before commenting further.”

Drive has also reached out to Kia Australia, and we will update this story with their response.

Owners of potentially affected vehicles can register their details at www.hyundaiengineclassaction.com.au (for Hyundai vehicles) or www.kiaengineclassaction.com.au (for Kia vehicles).

Hyundai and Kia class action listed symptoms

• Knocking or tapping sounds;
• Internal damage to the engine;
• Increased oil and/or fuel consumption;
• Sudden loss of power (including while driving) and engine failure;
• The emission of smoke from the engine compartment; and/or
• In some cases, fire.

Hyundai Class Action affected vehicles:

Kia Class Action affected vehicles

The post Hyundai and Kia hit with class action: Engine fires, failures, 500,000 cars affected appeared first on Drive.

Electric versions of the Nissan X-Trail, Qashqai and Juke SUVs are coming to European showrooms, an overseas report claims.

The Nissan Qashqai, X-Trail and Juke SUVs are slated to gain the option of electric power in 2025, according to a new report out of Europe.

UK magazine Autocar claims battery-electric versions of the Juke and Qashqai small SUVs, and X-Trail mid-size SUV due in European showrooms between 2025 and 2027.

These new Nissans would sit on versions of the electric-only ‘skateboard’ platform beneath the new Renault Megane E-Tech Electric and Nissan Ariya electric vehicles, with the Juke reportedly the first model scheduled to launch.

It is unclear if the electric versions of the three vehicles will replace the current offerings – which offer petrol or hybrid power – or would be sold alongside them.

Autocar claims the new electric vehicles “are expected as replacements for the current-generation models”.

However, later in its report the publication says all three cars would be “sold alongside an e-Power [hybrid] variant,” which would require the current models to remain on sale as the electric-car chassis slated for the new vehicles can’t support a petrol engine.

While electric could replace petrol power in Europe, it is less likely to occur internationally, where the petrol-powered vehicles remain popular, and there are fewer government regulations pushing electric-car sales.

It is also unknown when – or if – the new electric Nissan vehicles will come to international markets, including Australia.

“The point is we go in a transition manner, in a smart manner, with e-Power then to BEV [battery-electric vehicles],” Nissan Europe boss Guillaume Cartier said, as quoted by Autocar.

“We’re just launching e-Power [now]. We need to take the benefit of it on Qashqai. We have evolved, so this [electric power] is something that it’s natural to look at, which would be the future.”

Autocar reports the three new electric Nissan SUVs are due too early to benefit from Nissan’s solid-state battery technology – which is scheduled for production in 2028 – however the publication speculates on driving ranges in excess of 500km, and more power than today’s Ariya electric SUV.

Nissan reportedly confirmed late last year that a new-generation lithium-ion battery pack is due for a production car “within a couple of years”, claimed to offer “better energy density and efficiency and a lower cost,” according to Autocar.

The three new SUVs form plans for hybrid and electric cars to account for 50 per cent of Nissan sales globally by 2030 – though in Europe, a target of 75 per cent hybrid and electric sales has been set for 2026.

Nissan offers hybrid versions of the latest Juke, Qashqai and X-Trail – but with two different forms of the technology.

The Juke is a traditional hybrid vehicle – which can drive the wheels with petrol or electric power, or both, akin to a Toyota hybrid – while the Qashqai and X-Trail use Nissan’s e-Power technology, where the petrol engine is used as a generator to power electric motors that drive the wheels.

The X-Trail e-Power is on sale in Australia now, while the Qashqai e-Power is due towards the end of this year, and the Juke Hybrid is not currently planned for local showrooms.

The post Electric Nissan X-Trail, Qashqai, Juke due in 2025 – report appeared first on Drive.

Australian Formula One ace Daniel Ricciardo has had a taste of a Ford Mustang V8 Supercar in Detroit – and got a sneak peek at a high-powered version of the Ford F-150 Lightning electric pick-up.

UPDATE, 17 February 2023: Video has been published of Australian Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo’s experience behind the wheel – and in the passenger seat – of a Ford Mustang V8 Supercar in Detroit.

A 66-second clip posted by Ford Australia on social media platform Twitter shows global Ford boss Jim Farley taking Ricciardo for a lap of a Ford test track in the Mustang racer – before they swap, and Ricciardo gets behind the wheel.

The video is embedded below – and our original story published last week continues afterwards.

10 February 2023: Australian Formula One ace Daniel Ricciardo – who is taking a year off from full-time racing following his departure from the struggling McLaren F1 team at the end of last year – has had a taste of a Ford Mustang V8 Supercar during a flying visit to Detroit.

Video has appeared on social media overnight of Ricciardo being introduced to Ford employees – as a guest of the global boss of Ford, Jim Farley, and the company’s international motorsport manager Mark Rushbrook.

After a quick meet and greet with the Ford team, Ricciardo is given the keys to a range of cars including a Ford Mustang Mach 1 V8 coupe, a Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV, and a Ford F-150 Lightning electric pick-up – and access to the company’s test track.

On a Ford Performance Instagram stories video – which has since expired – Ricciardo tells the audience before his test drive: “I’m just excited to drive something, I haven’t driven in a few months.

“I might be a little rusty, but hopefully no-one’s judging me out there,” Ricciardo added, possibly in a self-deprecating reference to his struggles with the McLaren F1 race car over the past two years.

“I’m excited to get behind the wheel of some vehicles for sure. Speaking to (Red Bull F1 teammates) Max and Checo in New York a few days ago, Max couldn’t stop talking about … the (electric) supervan. When he said (it had) 2000 horsepower I thought he was joking.”

Ricciardo – who has previously revealed he owned a Ford F-150 Raptor as his daily driver at his US home – declared he was “definitely a truck guy, bit of a country guy at heart.”

At Ricciardo’s disposal was a yellow right-hand-drive Ford Mustang Mach 1 V8, as well as a Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV and an F-150 Lightning electric pick-up.

After the drive of the Ford Mustang Mach 1 road car, Ricciardo continued the self-deprecating theme: “I’m starting to get a little more comfortable, remembered how to (use a) gearshift which was awesome, and use a clutch. It sounds great, the hairpin down the back (I was) getting a nice little slide … starting to loosen up and enjoy it, had a smile on my face.”

Then Ricciardo hit the track in a previous-generation Ford Mustang V8 Supercar after accepting an invitation from Ford boss Jim Farley to take it for a spin.

Mr Farley told Ricciardo the Ford Mustang V8 Supercar should “give you a little taste of home.”

After his drive of the Ford Mustang V8 Supercar, Ricciardo says: “Just got out of this bad boy right here … a V8 Supercar here in Michigan is far from home but I felt at home in it, it was a lot of fun.

“A big thanks to Ford for having me out here today. It’s been a blast. I’ve enjoyed my first visit to Detroit and I’ll be coming back that’s for sure.”

As reported last weekend, US car giant Ford will return to the top echelon of motorsport – Formula One – with the championship-winning Red Bull racing team from 2026.

After a 22-year absence, the US car giant has signed up to a minimum five-year commitment – from 2026 to “at least” 2030 – to supply the next-generation of hybrid engines for the pinnacle motorsport category.

Red Bull Racing has won five Formula One constructor’s championships – and six Formula One driver championships – since 2010, the latter including the past two years in a row in the hands of Dutch driver Max Verstappen.

The post Aussie F1 ace Daniel Ricciardo tests Ford Mustang V8 Supercar in Detroit – UPDATE appeared first on Drive.

Launched to much fanfare, the Holden-based Pontiac G8 Sport Truck was given the bullet before it ever reached production.

It’s March, 2008. New York is slowly coming out of its winter slumber. Spring is in the air and with it a renewed hope.

For Holden, that hope took centre stage at the New York motor show. Hope was shaped like a Commodore ute.

Americans have a love/hate relationship with car-based utilities. For every Chev El Camino and Ford Ranchero, there are a thousand trillion F-Series, Silverado and Ram pick-up trucks. Utility, in America, means big. And bigger, in the United States, is always better. Apparently.

But, in defiance of the market, General Motors took the wraps off the Pontiac G8 ST in New York in 2008, promising the Holden-based ute, “doesn’t look like a CAR, but it outperforms a lot of them”.

Aussies, of course, didn’t find that quote in the least bit surprising, the G8 ST (for Sport Truck) based our very own and much-loved Holden ute.

GM was already selling Holden Commodore sedans in the United States, rebadged and re-nosed as the Pontiac G8. Sales began in March 2008, at the same time as GM was taking the covers of the second part of its two-pronged Aussie assault.

Like its sedan sibling, the G8 ST was to be built at Holden’s Elizabeth plant in South Australia with then Holden boss Mark Reuss stating that the production line would be able to handle capacity if the Aussie ute became a hit in the US.

The G8 ST was slated to go on sale in the second half of 2009 (as a 2010 model year) with a choice of either a 3.6-litre six-cylinder or a stonking 6.0-litre V8 making 270kW. It was expected to cost around $US31,000 ($AU45,000) for the entry-level V6. Australians were paying significantly less, a 2010 Holden Ute SV6 starting from $39,490 while the Redline SS, on which the G8 ST was based, started at $51,990.

Other than its distinctive Pontiac grille (and the fact it was left-hand drive), the Pontiac G8 ST was pretty much a standard Holden VE ute as we knew and loved them here in Australia.

As excitement built in the US, General Motors held a poll, asking the public what the G8 ST should be called when launched later in the year.

Some 18,000 people weighed in and while there were suggestions that the the Chevrolet division’s ‘El Camino’ name would make a comeback on the back of Australia’s own ute, it was ‘Sport Truck’ or ‘ST’ that emerged the winner.

General Motors’ timing couldn’t have been worse. Although the Global Financial Crisis began in mid-2007, the tentacles of its full impact – and a full-blown recession in the US – weren’t felt until 2008. No surprise then that GM pulled the pin on the G8 ST before it ever started.

As per company spokesperson, Jim Hopson: “With Pontiac being more focused on sporty fun to drive cars, we took a long look at the ST and it didn’t fit with what our future vision of Pontiac would be. At that point, we decided to not proceed with this vehicle.”

Worse was still to come, General Motors announcing in late 2008 that the Pontiac brand would be retired by the end of 2010, shutting the doors on 84 years of motoring heritage.

The last Pontiac – a white G6 sedan – rolled off the production line in Orion Township, Michigan, in January 2010.

While the G8 ute was consigned to the role of prototype curio, the Commodore name – and Holden’s Elizabeth plant – was given a lifeline in late 2013, the car we knew as the VF Commodore SS-V Redline, going on sale in the US as the Chevrolet SS.

Again, timing was everything, and in 2014 Holden confirmed it would cease all Australian production in 2017. The Chevrolet SS was on borrowed time and with Holden’s local operations closed down, the SS too was put out to pasture at the end of 2017. Just 12,860 had found new homes in America between 2013-17.

While the Commodore badge itself limped on in Australia as the Opel-sourced Insignia, General Motors made no such concession in the US, the Chevrolet SS name dying along with the VF Commodore.

The post Why GM killed America’s Holden ute appeared first on Drive.

Tesla has been forced to recall 363,000 vehicles in the US with so-called ‘Full Self-Driving’ technology – after a number of deadly crashes and dangerous near-misses.

Road safety authorities in the US have forced electric-car specialist Tesla to recall 363,000 vehicles because the so-called ‘Full Self-Driving‘ technology presents an unreasonably high risk of a deadly crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued the recall notice in the US following a number of deadly crashes and near-misses in Tesla electric cars.

Tesla claims the system can accelerate, stop, steer and park the car without human intervention, although the driver is still required to be attentive and maintain control to respond to unforeseen scenarios – or a failure of the technology.

While Tesla’s system was initially rolled out in September 2021 as a limited ‘beta’ iteration of the technology – allowing the company to gather real-time data from more than 160,000 users on public roads to help improve the calibration – it became publicly available to US owners of certain Tesla cars in November 2022.

In Australia, Full Self-Driving does not comply with local road rules and is not available to Tesla owners.

NHTSA says Tesla’s autonomous driving system “may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as travelling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution.”

The road safety authority noted the system “may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver’s adjustment of the vehicle’s speed to exceed posted speed limits.”

According to Automotive News, the US recall affects 363,000 examples of the Tesla Model S (2016-2023), Model 3 (2017-2023), Model X (2017-2023), and Model Y (2020-2023) which are equipped with the necessary hardware to operate the autonomous driving technology.

Tesla has announced it will release an ‘over-the-air’ (wifi) software update to affected electric cars to rectify the fault, which Automotive News reports will become available to US owners “in the coming weeks”.

It is the second time Tesla’s most advanced autonomous driving system has been recalled in the US, following a NHTSA recall in February 2022 which affected almost 54,000 cars equipped with the software.

Tesla’s autonomous driving tech – including the less capable ‘Autopilot’ and ‘Enhanced Autopilot’ systems – have been put under the spotlight by NHTSA and road safety experts, with the electric-car giant’s vehicles being overrepresented in US car crash data.

Since 2016, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened more than 30 investigations into crashes involving Tesla vehicles where the company’s semi-autonomous systems were understood to be in use, resulting in more than 20 fatalities.

As reported in June 2022, NHTSA data from July 2021 to June 2022 noted 392 crashes – involving 12 different car brands – which involved vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems. 

In that sample, Tesla vehicles accounted for 273 – or 70 per cent – of the incidents, which included cars equipped with its less-capable ‘Autopilot’ and ‘Enhanced Autopilot’ systems.

Of the six fatalities where advanced driver assistance systems were considered a factor, Tesla cars accounted for 83 per cent of such crashes.

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In a response to a crime wave of stolen cars, Kia and Hyundai will voluntarily recall more than 8 million vehicles in the US to fit anti-theft ‘immobilisers’.

Kia and Hyundai have announced a voluntary recall of more than eight million cars in the US – representing the majority of vehicles sold by each brand since 2011 and 2015 respectively – to fit anti-theft devices free of charge.

The rollout of anti-theft ‘immobiliser’ technology is in response to a US crime wave which has targeted Kia and Hyundai cars because they are so easy to steal, with thefts of certain models reportedly increasing by more than 750 per cent in some jurisdictions.

On social media platform TikTok, criminals in the US have demonstrated their ability to steal certain Kia and Hyundai cars by removing the plastic cover which surrounds the ignition barrel – starting the affected vehicles with nothing more than a screwdriver and a USB cable.

A 2015 report by the US Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) found just 26 per cent of Kia and Hyundai new cars for sale were equipped with an engine immobiliser, compared to an average of 96 per cent across rival brands.

Hyundai only introduced engine immobilisers across its entire US model range from November 1, 2021, while all Kias sold in the US from 2022 are fitted with the anti-theft technology.

MORE: US Kia and Hyundai thefts – What it means for Australia

Kia and Hyundai have previously announced the targeted vehicles were built from 2011 and 2015 respectively. There is no data explaining why thieves are not stealing earlier models on a similar scale, despite also lacking anti-theft technology.

According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the 8.3 million vehicles in the voluntary recall campaign include 4.5 million Kias and 3.8 million Hyundais.

Hyundai’s US division says it has already started to roll out a “free anti-theft software upgrade” for affected vehicles.

Once the upgrade is complete, the engine will only start when the genuine ignition key – now with an embedded electronic fob – sends a signal to the car’s engine management computer.

Hyundai US says the anti-theft upgrade will initially be available for more than one million examples of the Elantra (2017-2020), Sonata (2015-2019) and Venue (2020-2021), before expanding to include the remaining two million-plus cars.

Kia’s US division is yet to outline which models are affected and how it plans to roll out the engine immobiliser upgrade.

While the crime wave has affected a majority of Kia and Hyundai models sold in the US, Australian regulations have ensured examples of the South Korean cars have been fitted with the basic anti-theft technology for more than two decades.

Anti-theft engine immobiliser have been mandatory on new motor vehicles in Australia since 2001, to comply with Australian Design Rules (ADR) 82/00.

From the start of 2001 (when engine immobilisers became mandatory in Australia) until the end of January 2023, the South Korean car-makers have sold more than 2.1 million cars to local customers – delivering 1.55 million Hyundais and approximately 770,000 Kias.

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