MPV

ANCAP has awarded five-star safety ratings for the all-new Audi Q3 and Toyota Granvia, with both vehicles hitting local showrooms this month. The headlining act is Toyota's new people mover, which is the first model in its segment to achieve a five-star result against the crash-testing firm's "latest, most stringent protocols".

Toyota has revealed the all-new Granvia people mover, which will arrive in Australia before the end of the year to replace the ageing Tarago. Pitched as a "luxury eight-seater wagon aimed at hospitality, corporate and family buyers", the Granvia is to the HiAce what the Volkswagen Multivan is to the Transporter.

Lexus looks set to go head-to-head with Mercedes-Benz in the luxury van space, teasing the LM – its "fifth flagship product" – ahead of its debut in Shanghai next week. Based on its silhouette, the LM appears to be based on the Toyota Alphard minivan offered overseas. Lexus says it's a "new style of MPV that is connected to the minds of drivers and passengers".

Mercedes-Benz has recalled the 2017 V-Class, over concerns about the front-seat wiring loom fasteners. According to the company, the swivelling function on the front seats could make the wiring loom come loose. If the loom comes loose, it could make the side airbags randomly activate. The red SRS light on the dashboard will illuminate, and the airbags might not inflate in an accident, increasing the risk of injury to occupants.

HSV is preparing the Silverado and the Ram 1500 is gathering momentum, but Nissan has ruled out a three-way large pickup battle Down Under, taking the Titan off the table for our market. Just over six months after telling CarAdvice the full-size Titan could go global, Ashwani Gupta, global boss for Nissan commercial vehicles, knocked back the car's visa application based on volume.