Browsing: Automobiles

JD Power’s latest Vehicle Dependability Study reveals that overall industry dependability fell in 2026.   Lexus has the lowest score among premium brands, while Buick tops the mass-market brands.    The gap between the premium and mass-market brands grew last year.    JD Power’s latest Vehicle Dependability Study has recorded the highest number of overall problems per vehicle since 2022. Premium vehicles remain less dependable than mass-market ones, with the gap between the two growing in the 2026 study.    According to the latest results, the number of owners experiencing vehicle problems after three years went up. The industry average increased…

The first-ever Audi RS5 Avant will be motivated by a plug-in hybrid drivetrain – but fear not, the Bavarian company hasn’t dropped the ball like Mercedes-AMG, which went with four-cylinder power.Instead, the new RS5 – which will come as a Sedan as well as the wagon-shaped Avant we’re so familiar with – employs an enhanced version of the old 2.9-litre biturbo petrol V6, which saw service in the preceding RS4 Avant.Effectively, the new RS5 is the sixth entrant in a series, continuing a line which originally began with RS2 Avant of 1994.CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car.…

Article Summary30 new M Performance and M cars are coming in the next two and a half years.There will be pure gas cars, plug-in hybrids, and EVs.The new M3 is coming in two flavors: inline-six and electric.With 213,457 cars delivered in 2025, BMW M extended its record sales streak to 14 consecutive years. How does the “world’s most powerful letter” plan to keep that momentum going? By launching a product onslaught, with a whopping 30 models due by 2029. As you can imagine, not all of them will be full-fat M cars. Instead, a sizeable portion of these new arrivals…

BMW M’s boss says that manuals may not be around for much longer. Engineering challenges and low demand make manuals harder to justify. BMW still sells the M2, M3, M4, and Z4 with manuals. Bad news for BMW M fans: The manual transmission may not be around for much longer. Even though roughly 40 percent of M customers opted for the manual gearbox in 2025 (according to our own data), BMW’s M boss isn’t convinced that the gearbox is worth keeping alive. Head of BMW M, Frank van Meel, told Australia’s CarSales that, from an engineering standpoint, the manual “doesn’t…

Still new, the 2026 Hyundai Kona is now in the books of a recalls, and it concerns its steering system. The problem resulted from a potentially faulty steering knuckle that led to the recall of 4555 units of its SUVs, all 2026 models that featured gas engines and that were sold in the United States. Hyundai USA From the report submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) by Hyundai, it states that the affected models might be having front steering knuckles that were cast incorrectly, causing them to develop cracks during the process of maneuvering, especially in hard…

Polestar has teased an onslaught of new electric vehicles (EVs), including a new-generation Polestar 2 and a more practical version of its best seller, the Tesla Model Y-rivalling Polestar 4.The Scandinavian auto brand is calling this the “largest model offensive in its history”, with four new models launching in three years. Polestar says it’s targeting the heart of the market, “where customer demand and profit pools are high”.Following the launch of the new Polestar 5 grand tourer, due in Australia midway through 2026 and priced from $171,100 before on-roads, the Geely-owned EV brand says it will commence European deliveries of…

BMW’s M-badged offerings provide drivers with the best possible driving engagement, road feel, and performance. But it comes at a price — literally. BMW M models, be it “M-lites” like the M340i and M240i or full-fat Ms like the M3 and M5, often cost tens of thousands more than the standard offering. There are also several other trade-offs drivers make when selecting the full BMW M model. Fuel economy is typically lower. Parts costs are higher. And, frankly, overall comfort in the cabin is sometimes inferior relative to more “basic” models.So sure. That M badge on the back of the…

Ford is maximizing the aerodynamic efficiency of its new electric truck in several ways.  Bolt holes underneath the truck are shallower, and the side mirrors are 20 percent smaller than traditional ones.  Each small improvement lowers the battery’s cost and increases the range.  Last summer, Ford Motor Company announced it was developing an electric pickup truck with a starting price of around $30,000. It goes on sale sometime in 2027, and the automaker is just now starting to release more details on the upcoming model. Central to the project is a new manufacturing process, an innovative design, and a focus…

Mazda Australia once again has both a mid-size passenger car and an electric vehicle.After axing the small MX-30 electric SUV in 2023 and the long-running Mazda 6 in 2025, it’s set to launch the Mazda 6e.Pre-orders have now opened ahead of first customer deliveries in July 2026.CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.Developed and built by the Changan Mazda joint venture in China, this five-door liftback is slightly larger than the old Mazda 6 sedan.The base GT undercuts the entry-level Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD by $4910, and is only $800…

Article SummaryThe GP Inspired Edition is chock-full of John Cooper Works visual upgrades.It’s based on the range-topping JCW version but doesn’t have mechanical improvements.MINI doesn’t say whether this special edition previews a true JCW GP variant.It’s hard to believe more than six years have passed since MINI launched the John Cooper Works GP. While the prospects of a new one remain uncertain, Oxford is reviving a lighter take on the formula. The “Inspired Edition” returns for the F66 generation, giving the JCW-spec hot hatch a more aggressive look.As with its F56 sibling introduced in early 2021, this new version is…