The Australian New Car Assessment Program, better known as ANCAP has revealed new crash ratings for the popular Suzuki Swift and MG3 hatchbacks. Both fared badly in 1984 crash testing, the MG3 receiving a three-star rating, the Suzuki Swift just one star. The Swift result created an amount of controversy as European testing of the same model resulted in three stars. ANCAP had been informed of physical differences between locally supplied Swift models and those supplied to Europe. However, a second round of testing has now revealed the local Suzuki Swift is built to the same standard as its European counterpart. As to the MG3, now with improvements has gained a four-star rating with a word of caution – during a 50khm/hour head on crash test the right-side seat adjuster failed causing the seat to twist on impact revealing excessive force to the right leg.

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Spanish performance brand Cupra has taken the axe to its Formentor VZe plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV, cutting more than $20,000 off 2024 model year stock. Now $47,990 drive-away, down from around $67,990. The move follows a 70 per cent drop in sales following the removal of the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption in April, which cut around a third off the price of a plug-in hybrid when purchased through a novated lease. With a facelifted Formentor VZe hybrid due early next year Cupra Australia decided to slash remaining stock. The new model will increase the current models electric only range from 50 to 100km and feature a new 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and larger battery. What this large discount does to re- sale values long term however will be interesting to watch - the Formentor range Cupra’s biggest selling model.

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Driving the Skoda Octavia wagon, the new entry Select model at $43,990 drive- away. This European sports wagon has real appeal, wagons still finding favour with certain buyers despite the shift to SUVs in recent years. I found the drivability of this updated medium sized wagon most rewarding – the 1.4-litre turbo 110kW engine drives the front wheels through a smooth eight-speed torque convertor automatic and its responsive and unstressed. Ride quality commendable but some road noise evident on course surfaces – a nice handling wagon and obviously with a lower centre of gravity to an SUV. Economy wise, I couldn’t match the makers claim of 6.2-litres/100km on premium 95 grade fuel, achieving 7.3L/100km. But as i said the perky nature of the engine and the smooth shifts from the eight-speed automatic makes driving the Skoda Octavia Select a real pleasure and you tend to tap its performance rather than drive for economy. In fact, I found much to like with it overall, the Czech brand has done a nice job with this model over a long period, improving it along the way and it comes with an excellent warranty – seven years/unlimited km. If you like a wagon over an SUV you’ll like the all-round versatility of this Skoda.

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With SUVs now commanding 60 percent of the market station wagons have fallen from favour. One that still finds favour with buyers is the Skoda Octavia. The Skoda Octavia recently received an update, both liftback and wagon now available in three grades, a new entry Select grade plus Sportline and sporty RS. I tested the Octavia Select wagon at $43,990 drive-away, a nicely styled European wagon with a sports flair powered by a turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine driving the front wheels through an eight-speed automatic. The whole package freshened on the outside with new LED headlights and taillights, inside, gaining a bigger 13-inch touchscreen with upgraded software, a 10-inch digital instrument display and the latest active safety elements. The package roomy and comfortable in a well sized body on fabric seats with synthetic leather accents. The second-row well served by air vents and a pair of USB ports while the cargo bay gains welcome tie down points, hooks and cargo nets. You even get an umbrella in the driver’s door. Wagon buyers have very few options these days, the Skoda Octavia a fine choice offering a lot of features for the money, but it’s in the driving where it really excels. Excellent Warranty at 7 years/unlimited kms.

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News out of China suggests discussions have taken place re a possible ban on pop-out retractable door handles over safety concerns. The concern over door handles that are flush with the body until activated by a pop-out mechanism or by a lever that, when one side of the handle is pressed, allows the other end to pop out. I experienced the latter on the Leapmotor C10 SUV , while several Range Rovers I’ve driven have fully powered pop-out door handles. Other car makers with these handles include Zeekr, Deepal and Xpeng as well as Tesla. The main concern, their suitability in extreme conditions, reports suggesting they can malfunction with water ingress, can freeze in cold weather or fail outright leaving the car’s occupants trapped. Also, buttons on the inside replacing mechanical levers can be difficult to access in an emergency. 

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The continued onslaught of new Chinese models each pushing the boundary of new technology at a lower price has really made the established car makers sit up and take notice. BMW is the latest car maker to announce a massive investment in new technology with a $17.8 billion dollar investment in new and updated high tech electric models. The radically styled high tech electric models are said to offer an extended driving range of up to 800km. First all-new model is the 2026 IX3 SUV sitting on a dedicated electric car platform unlike the current model which is a petrol car converted to run on batteries. The new iX3 to be built at a new factory in Hungary will spearhead a new family of BMW models with longer ranges, super brain computers, super fast charging, all new styling with narrower kidney grilles and more interior room.

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I spoke earlier of MG’s hero model – the Cyberster Sports Roadster – a striking two door electric all-wheel drive launched last year to celebrate 100 years of the brand. The Chinese have done a great job with MG since 2007 and the local company now has 12 models in the market. The MG Cyberster features dual electric motors fed by a 77kWhour battery and a range of 443km - with 375kW and a thumping 725Nm of torque it powers to 100km/hour in 3.2 seconds. It’s no lightweight at just under 2 tonnes, the underfloor battery meaning you sit a little higher to a traditional sports car. Three drive modes, Comfort, Sport and Super Sport plus a launch mode which is a little gimmicky. Its not tuned suspension wise to hard-nosed levels with enough suspension travel and damping to make it a comfortable day to day driver and not an over-the-top sportscar. Price $120,000 drive-away with a 10-year/250,000km warranty, and the same for the battery. The quality is the best I’ve witnessed in a Chinese car as you’d expect given the sticker price. The MG Cyberster a beautifully styled and executed sports roadster with its power scissor doors giving it an air of sophistication and setting it apart.

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Driving the electric MG Cyberster sports roadster - launched last year to commemorate 100 years of the MG Brand. The former British brand has been in the hands of the Shanghai Automotive industry Corporation since 2007 – the MG Cyberster, a hero model, as they say, marking a ground-breaking evolution for the MG Brand fusing technology of the future with the legacy of the past. And that is does, beautifully styled in London by the company’s European design director it’s a striking two door roadster highlighted by power scissor doors that create enormous interest. An all-wheel-drive powered by dual electric motors fed by a 77kWh lithium-ion battery – 375kW of power, a thumping 725Nm of torque and a 0 to 100km acceleration time of just 3.2 seconds. For the money its highly specified – the interior a standout in terms of design and execution – beautifully finished and detailed with paint quality a high point – the quality the best I’ve witnessed in a Chinese car. The cabin snug, I’d have liked another 20mm of legroom, the three- screen instrument cluster giving you the impression you’re sitting in a fighter jet. Warranty impressive; 10 years/250,000kms including the battery.

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Last month’s official new car sales figures released this week reflect the second-best August on record with 103,922 vehicles registered. Of these, 23,225 or nearly a quarter were Chinese-made – BYD, GWM, MG and Chery making it into the top ten sales list. Petrol vehicles still dominated with 38,515 sales followed by diesel with 30,459 while hybrids continue their march posting 17,381. Battery electric vehicles accounted for 10,231, or around 9.8 percent of the market while plug-in hybrids tallied 3,906. SUVs continue to gain market share, now representing 60 per cent of sales while passenger cars continue to lose ground, down 25 percent compared to the same time last year. What is clear, consumers have a growing number of choices in the automotive market, more than 400 models, around 100 of which are EVs.

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Whilst we’ve been captivated this year by the success of our Oscar Piastri in Formula One racing, we shouldn’t overlook the incredible international success this year by a young speedway rider from country N.S.W. 28-year old Brady Kurtz from Cowra has a chance next Saturday night in Denmark to take out the World Speedway Championship in his rookie year. Last Saturday night in Poland Kurtz took his fourth consecutive win of the season. His win in Poland has set him up for a showdown with Poland’s defending five-time world champion Bartosz Zmarlik – the young Aussie trailing Zmarlik by just three points. Veteran Speedway Journalist Dennis Newlyn tells me Kurtz’s success is much like Piastri’s in that he has much the same cool head and demeaner. You can catch the Denmark race on Fox Sport next Sunday morning from 2.30am.

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