Car News

Haval’s entry-level soft-roader, the H2, has received a modest nip-and-tuck and some extra equipment for 2020. The most notable change to the exterior is the grille. The H2 appears to have adopted the fascia of the Chinese-market H2 Blue Label, a sportier H2 variant introduced in 2016. The six-sided grille gains some horizontal chrome bars, making it rather reminiscent of the outgoing Ford Escape.

A prototype of Hyundai Santa Cruz, the company's upcoming car-based ute, has been spied for the first time – but Australian availability has yet to be confirmed. This photo was posted online overnight by Korean website Autospy. It's unclear who took the picture, or where it was taken. Unlike the 2015 concept car (below), which featured large front doors and small reverse-hinged rear doors, the production Santa Cruz will have four standard-size apertures.

Update – July 2020: The new Hyundai Santa Fe Active X has been introduced ahead of the model's update due in late 2020, with a host of extra equipment for $3030 more than the entry-level Active. A petrol V6 has returned to the Hyundai Santa Fe range as the naturally-aspirated, petrol four is retired. Unlike the old four, the new V6 will be available across all three model grades – Active, Elite and Highlander.

Mazda is considering electrifying its iconic MX-5. Don’t worry, though – the company is being careful not to mess with the drop-top’s successful formula. Autocar reports Mazda management is considering hybrid or all-electric power for the next (fifth) generation of MX-5. Its low production volume, however, could allow the MX-5 to skate by without being electrified. Fortunately, Mazda understands the MX-5’s special formula – its balanced, lightweight, and compact rear-wheel-drive platform.

Pint-sized police cars in the UK – such as the Fiat Panda – have for years been ridiculed because crooks could get away even on foot. But UK cops could soon have the last laugh: police across Britain are testing a Ford Ranger Raptor for special duties.