Car News

The 2021 Maserati Grecale has been previewed by the Italian car company, providing the first official look at its upcoming mid-sized sports luxury SUV. Sitting below the full-size Maserati Levante SUV, the new Maserati Grecale – named after "the fierce north-east wind of the Mediterranean Sea" – will share much of its architecture with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, and will be a direct competitor to the Porsche Macan, BMW X3 M, and Mercedes-AMG GLC63.

The two heavyweights of the sub-$20,000 small-car class – Kia and Suzuki – have pledged to continue selling vehicles in the most affordable end of the market, as an increasing number of rivals have vacated the segment. Brands that have recently priced themselves out of the sub-$20,000 category include market leader Toyota, second-placed Mazda, and former budget-car king Hyundai.

A 4x4 XLT double cab chassis will join the Ford Ranger line-up from December. Priced from $56,240, the new cab chassis drops into the range below the existing 4x4 XLT pick-up variant. As with all Rangers, the XLT double cab has a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

One of Australia’s biggest-selling car brands has forecast the industry will finish the year with the weakest annual sales result since 2002. Kia Australia – the second-biggest seller of passenger vehicles locally and sixth best-selling brand outright – says its data shows the national tally of new-car sales will dip to 876,000 for calendar year 2020.

A range-topping 3.0-litre diesel has been confirmed for the 2021 Land Rover Defender line-up, alongside an array of extra safety features fitted as standard. The new three-door Defender 90 is finally set to arrive in Australia alongside the already-available Defender 110, after production was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. Pricing for the short-wheelbase Land Rover will start from $71,500 plus on road costs, while the Defender 110 starts at $74,500 plus on road costs – up from $69,626.