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The week’s top news stories: July 15, 2018

Kia Stinger, Holden Commodore, Ford Focus and more...


The automotive news wheel is always turning. If you’re not constantly checking CarAdvice – which you should be doing, by the way – it can be easy for some headlines to slip through the cracks.

To make sure you haven’t missed anything important, we’ve gathered what we reckon are the hottest news stories from this week, right here. Check them out, and let us know what caught your eye.


Renault Zoe EV: Sales open to all, priced from $51,990

Renault Australia will start offering the pure-electric Zoe to regular Australian customers, moving away from its current fleet-only sales setup for the itsy-bitsy battery-powered city car.

The Zoe range will be offered in two trim levels: Life and Intens, priced from $51,990 and $54,540 drive-away respectively.


Kia Stinger: Respray promised for defective yellow paint

Kia will shortly contact customers of Sunset Yellow Stingers to offer a full vehicle respray due to defective paintwork, the company has told CarAdvice.

The botched paint is understood to include an oil that causes long-term durability to fail, causing easy cracking from stone chips and other incidental contact.



2019 Kia Sportage pricing and specs

Australian pricing and specifications for the updated 2019 Kia Sportage range have been announced this week, with the facelifted SUV line-up to kick off at $29,990 before on-road costs.

Despite starting $1000 more expensive than the model it replaces, the MY19 Sportage picks up added active safety gear across the range, while also offering a new eight-speed automatic on diesel models, along with an updated infotainment system – amongst other things.


Holden Commodore joins SA Police fleet

The Holden Commodore has been recruited by the South Australia Police, with "more than 100" set to join the state's enforcement fleet over the next two years.

Holden has been supplying the SA Police with vehicles since 1948, with this latest agreement marking 70 years of service by the Lion brand.


Renault Trafic automatic still 12 to 18 months away

There's something holding the Renault Trafic back in Australia. No matter how sharply it's marketed, or how well it's priced, buyers want automatics, and the French brand doesn't offer one Down Under.

Even tradies are avoiding three-pedal cars like the proverbial locally. Manual vans make up just 30 per cent of the market in which the Trafic competes, making its nine per cent segment share impressive. That share would also be frustrating for Renault, given the potential offered by a self-shifting option.


2019 Mercedes-Benz A200 priced from $47,200

Mercedes-Benz Australia has revealed the first pricing information for the new A-Class range, set to touch down in dealers on August 10.

The mid-spec A200 will be priced from $47,200 before on-road costs, making it $2900 more expensive than the car it replaces. That price jump will bring a host of new tech, though


Ford Focus Active: Trademark application hints at Australian release

The Ford Focus Active – a crossover version of the all-new small car already available in Europe – could be on track to launch in Australia alongside the core range, if a pending trademark application is anything to go by.

Spotted by a keen CarAdvice reader, the 'Focus Active' name has shown up on the Australian Trademark Search, lodged by none other than Ford Motor Company.


Aston Martin Cygnet V8 revealed

Remember the Aston Martin Cygnet? Platform sharing has created some strange tie-ups throughout history, but the Cygnet was one of the strangest, sharing its underpinnings with the lowly Toyota iQ. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was an absolute flop.

You might be surprised, then, to hear the Cygnet is making a return in 2018. It's definitely not a Toyota anymore, with a 4.7-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine, a race-ready interior, and some tough bolt-on arches. In other words, it's a proper Aston Martin this time around.


Holden cuts 60 staff in Melbourne

Holden has announced plans to cut around 60 jobs from its sales staff, amid a restructure of its sales and administration departments.

The company has confirmed the employees were mainly be based at headquarters in Port Melbourne, and the cuts won't eat into its local design and engineering team.

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