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Overview HYUNDAI is the first brand in the market to offer a plug-free hybrid for couriers, delivery drivers, tradies, and businesses. The new Staria Load hybrid takes a fuss-free approach to electrifying work vans in Australia, while other brands skew in different directions.

Overview MAZDA Australia has entered the battery electric arena with the 6e sedan, landing with a sharp sub-$50K entry price and styling that pays homage to the longstanding ‘6’ it replaces, and it’s the first locally delivered Mazda built in China. The 6e arrives with an entry-level price of $49,990 plus on-road costs for the base GT variant, before stepping up to $52,990 + ORC for the flagship Atenza grade, undercutting the segment-leading Tesla Model 3 RWD by roughly $5000.

TATA Motors is preparing a major passenger vehicle expansion that will see it move further upmarket, accelerate its electric vehicle rollout, and sharpen its focus on product quality and aftersales support. The Indian manufacturer, whose cars and utes were last officially sold in Australia in 2019, is targeting a near doubling of passenger vehicle volume by FY2031 as it seeks to grow beyond its value-led roots.

Cloud-based development process to help Nissan beat Chinese vehicles to market NISSAN says it can now reduce months of software development work to hours as it accelerates plans for a new generation of software-defined vehicles. The Japanese manufacturer says it will use cloud-based artificial intelligence to design, test and troubleshoot new automotive software systems, allowing it to shorten development cycles and respond more quickly to fast-moving Chinese and global rivals.

JEEP will dramatically broaden its European line-up before the end of the decade, confirming plans to introduce three all-new SUVs as part of a six-model portfolio that will include its first Chinese-built global model. The expansion underlines the American marque’s growing importance within the Stellantis empire, with Jeep identified alongside Peugeot, Alfa Romeo, and Ram as one of four global brands earmarked for the group’s largest investment through to the end of the current decade.

FIAT has revealed the first official image of its new Grizzly and Grizzly Fastback models, previewing a broader family-focused line-up that will sit above the recently launched Grande Panda. The two C-segment models are due to launch in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in the second half of 2026, with Latin American distribution also planned as part of a wider global industrial program.

JAGUAR Land Rover (JLR) could develop a new US-focused Defender model using Stellantis underpinnings as it looks to expand its presence in North America – and reduce exposure to import tariffs.

HYUNDAI is set to retire its i30 hatchback in Europe, with no direct replacement planned as demand for traditional petrol-powered small cars continues to decline. The i30 has been unavailable in the United Kingdom for around a year but remains on sale in selected European markets. According to UK publication Autocar, it is now expected to be withdrawn entirely, ending a nameplate that has long served as Hyundai’s rival to the Mazda 3, Toyota Corolla, and Volkswagen Golf.

HYUNDAI has revealed the eighth-generation Elantra sedan in South Korea, previewing what is expected to become the next i30 Sedan in Australia. Known as the Avante in its home market, the redesigned small sedan made its public debut at the 2026 Busan Mobility Show with a more aggressive exterior, larger dimensions, new cabin technology, and updated petrol and hybrid drivetrains.

VOLKSWAGEN Group chief executive Oliver Blume is reportedly considering plans to cut up to 100,000 jobs and end production at four German plants as part of the biggest restructure in the company’s 89-year history. The news follows last fortnights’s GoAuto report that the Group was planning job cuts of 28,000 workers in Europe alone.