CAR ADVICE

A production version of the Toyota FT-Se sports car will reportedly become the brand’s first electric model to be available with a manual transmission. Japanese car giant Toyota is one step closer to putting its manual transmission for electric cars into production, according to overseas reports. Toyota has previously announced it was developing a manual transmission for a battery-powered model, though UK publication Autocar reports a production version of the recently-revealed FT-Se electric sports car concept will debut with the unique layout. Revealed during last week’s Tokyo motor show, the Toyota FT-Se features similar proportions to the mid-engined petrol MR2 of the 1980s and 1990s – and is expected to go into production from 2026. Toyota’s FT-Se concept As previously reported, it is likely the production version of the FT-Se will be based on Toyota’s next-generation electric-car platform, which Autocar reports is being prepared to work with the manual tr...

Ute buyers are in Isuzu’s crosshairs, as the company’s local arm prepares to launch its new-generation car-licence truck – with an electric model to follow. Isuzu Trucks has used the Tokyo motor show to debut its new-generation light commercial vehicle – with the promise of an electric version coming to Australia within the next two years. The new ‘N Series’ truck – which can be driven on a standard car licence – is the first generational change in the line-up since 2007, and brings a number of features normally associated with passenger cars and dual-cab utes. Isuzu Trucks Australia admitted in a presentation to media the company was actively going after ute customers – targeting approximately 100 to 150 buyers each month who would typically buy a Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, or similar. The company says many drivers – and company fleet managers – are unaware their vehicles are often overloaded with tools and trailers beyond safe and legal limits, and they should instead be...

Footage of a diesel generator running electric-car chargers in the Australian Outback has sparked outrage, but there’s more to the story. A video of a diesel generator being used to power electric-car chargers has gone viral on social media, but the motoring association behind the chargers insists it’s merely a “backup” solution for the remote solar-powered site. Footage of the diesel generator running at an NRMA electric charging site in Elrdunda in the Northern Territory was shared to Instagram on 27 October 2023, where it has since received 3.3 million views. RELATED: ‘A risk to public safety’ – Councils issue warning to electric car owners “Look, it’s an electric charger for an electric car – and right there, that is a diesel-powered generator, to run your electric charging point for your car,” the man filming the video can be heard saying. “That generator runs 24 hours of the day, seven days a week, we’re saving the planet! Does it make a lot of sense to you? Because ...

Ignore the marketing material and stylish ads, here are the car features that will truly improve your parenting experience. Becoming a parent is unbelievably overwhelming – the emotions, the highs and lows, the awe-inspiring sense of wonder and earth-shattering sense of responsibility. And that’s before you even consider all the equipment you need. As any new parent will know, everyone is trying to sell you something for ‘the sake of your child’, but some ‘essentials’ are more essential than others. RELATED: Every car available with seven seats in Australia RELATED: The real reason for those ‘baby on board’ signs Unfortunately, in your exhausted, distracted state, it’s easy to be tricked into thinking you need things you don’t. If you’re in the fortunate position to be shopping for a new family car, you’ll likely be feeling confused as you read over model brochures and specification sheets, wondering whether going without dual-zone climate control makes you a bad parent. ...

A US man has discovered why it’s important to make sure any do-it-yourself car modifications don’t resemble explosives. A Lexus owner in the US has been released without charge by Tennessee police officers after causing a two-hour-long bomb scare – due to his car’s homemade ‘dent protectors’ which onlookers believed were explosive devices. In a post uploaded to social media platform Facebook , the Murfreesboro Police Department detailed the ordeal which led to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies descending on an unsuspecting owner’s Lexus IS. On Tuesday 24 October, police received calls of a car with suspicious-looking round pipes, wires and duct-tape mounted to its passenger side doors. Fearing the devices were a pair of homemade bombs, the nearby shopping centre was evacuated while a school was placed into lock-down as Murfreesboro Police Department, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agency inves...

Car dealers have a specific formula for appraising a car someone wants to trade in. We find out what you can expect. Ever wondered how car dealers determine the value of your car when you’re trading it in? We wanted to understand the process, and quickly discovered that determining the best price to offer a seller as a trade-in is much more science than art.  RELATED: The cars with the best resale value in 2023 The availability of online research has made the process of valuing your car far more complex than simply publishing a few photos and words about your pride and joy, said CJ Jayasinghe, chief executive officer of major Western Australian used car dealership, Westside Auto Wholesale.  Mr Jayasinghe explained that buyers are more well-versed on cars than ever before and, to be competitive in the market, car dealers access a huge amount of data points to be able to determine the current value of a car....

A novice driver will lose their car for at least six months and is charged with a range of road penalties after being caught recklessly speeding and avoiding police along a Tassie highway. A heavy-footed Tasmanian P-Plate driver has been caught driving their vehicle at 185km/h in a 110km/h zone. According to a report in The Mercury newspaper, Tasmania Police clocked the novice driver excessively speeding along the Midlands Highway. When authorities attempted to stop the suspected offender, the young motorist allegedly ignored the warnings and tried to evade police. The 17-year-old teenager will face charges relating to hooning, exceeding the speed limit by 75km/h, aggravated police evasion, and negligent driving – with the juvenile driver having their car seized by authorities following the incident. “Later the same day, the police seized the offending vehicle for an initial period of six months. “Hooning, speeding, illegal or dangerous driving would not be tolerated...

The second-generation Hyundai Kona is bigger, better equipped and more advanced – but it’s also more expensive. Is the Premium model with the regular, non-turbo petrol engine the pick of the range? Skip ahead: Introduction Running costs Price and specification Energy use Interior space and comfort On-road assessment Connectivity and infotainment Summary Safety Next steps 2024 Hyundai Kona Premium The Hyundai Kona has grown up for its second outing. Based on all-new underpinnings – with futuristic bodywork, a more advanced interior and new technology – the second-generation Kona is significantly bigger than its 2017 predecessor, and closer in size to the Toyota Corolla Cross, Subaru Crosstrek, Mazda CX-30, Kia Seltos and other, newer rivals. The 2.0-litre front-wheel-drive and 1.6-litre turbo all-wheel-drive versions arrived in June 2023, due to be joined imminently by a hybrid, as well as an electric versi...