CAR SPECS

It’s currently unclear if Australian supply of the BMW-built cars will be affected. British BMW subsidiary Mini has been forced to shut up shop at its Oxford factory due to the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage – however, it’s so far unclear if Australian supply will be affected. Semiconductor chips are small sheets of silicon required for the production of electronics, and the average car uses between 300 and 3000 in LED lights, electronic windows, reversing cameras, airbag deployment systems, infotainment screens, and onboard computers.  In late 2020 international supply became severely compromised, with demand significantly outstripping supply due to a wide range of factors ( click here to read more ). An official statement from the Mini marque given to overseas media earlier this week said: “As a result of the global semiconductor shortage – an issue that has affected the entire automotive industry for the last year – Plant Oxford is making some short-term ad...

The Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 tied for Australia’s most coveted dual-cab award. Here’s why. The contest was so tight this year, we have two winners in the 2022 Drive Car of the Year Best Dual-Cab Ute category – for the first time in the history of the award. It is not because we are sitting on the fence. Rather it’s an indication of the level of competition in this segment – and the similarities between these two jointly developed utes. The Isuzu D-Max and Mazda BT-50 are twins under the skin, with identical engines and transmissions, suspension settings, safety technology, and infotainment systems. In fact, the only major difference is the external appearance, with each vehicle wearing body panels styled to fit within their respective brand’s broader range. One clear example of this is the identical bi-LED headlight technology packaged in different-looking housings. One is a sleek Mazda design, the other has a truck-like Isuzu appearance, but the spread of the b...

South Korean brothers from other mothers go head-to-head in an all-new EV showdown. Does the new Kia EV6 have what it takes to topple the related Hyundai Ioniq 5? Tom Fraser and Rob Margeit find out. Overview South Korean partner brands Hyundai and Kia are having a belter time in the sunshine at the moment. Both have introduced new volume seller mid-size SUVs in the last year, but to really excel towards the future, each manufacturer has released an all-new electric SUV. Sized roughly the same as the Tucson and Sportage, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 and Kia’s EV6 respectively represent the pinnacle of each brand’s model hierarchy. Many parallels can be drawn between the two newcomer electric vehicles (EV) that share the same all-new E-GMP platform, making a comparison between the two necessary. That said, Hyundai and Kia have positioned their models slightly differently: Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 is sold as part of a two-strong range beginning at $71,900 and ending at $75,900 , wh...

The Volkswagen Golf sets new benchmarks for refinement, style, safety and driving enjoyment in the highly competitive small car market. Volkswagen has always taken an evolutionary approach with its category-defining Golf hatchback. The all-new Golf 8, as it’s known, is testament to that approach. If it ain’t broke…  There are Golfs to suit every taste, from the entry-level $29,550 110TSI to the range-topping (until the Golf R arrives) GTI ($53,300), Volkswagen’s ‘people’s car’ continues to set the benchmark for the category. Its blend of European styling and engineering add up to a comfortable and capable car. Volkswagen’s decision to ditch the Golf’s dual-clutch automatic transmission (DSG) in favour of a conventional eight-speed automatic has paid dividends with a driving experience that is far more forgiving. As one judge commented, “[the] new [eight-speed auto] makes a tremendous difference to low speed driving [and] manoeuvres”, something that wasn’t always t...