Every important car news story breaking today, one convenient read
Thanks for joining us this Tuesday, February 27th 2024. Notably in car news today: Toyota announces local Australian pricing for its first-ever EV, the BZ4X, and Renault will launch its new 5 E-Tech retro-electric car in production form this September in Europe.
Browse this issue:
Toyota BZ4X priced at $66,000 before on-road costs
Renault announced production-ready 5 E-Tech retro electric car
Toyota’s first electric car, the BZ4X, now priced for Australia
The new 2024 Toyota BZ4X electric SUV
Toyota Australia has today announced pricing for its first electric car to be sold on Australian shores, the BZ4X midsize SUV.
Price of entry will start at $66,000 before on-road costs for the base front-wheel drive BZ4X, with the highest-spec BZ4X AWD priced at $74,900 before on-road costs.
The BZ4X will compete in the Australian market with rivals such as the Tesla Model Y and the very-much-related Subaru Solterra, which is also set to launch in Australia shortly.
The Toyota BZ4X entry point is $3990 cheaper than the $69,990 base Subaru Solterra, which is only available with dual-motor all-wheel drive.
Claimed electric range is 436km (WLTP) for the 150kW/266Nm FWD version, with peak range dropping to 411km for the dual-motor AWD 160kW/337Nm (combined) version.
Renault 5 E-Tech takes us back to the past with retro EV styling
Renault has announced its show-stopping 5 E-Tech electric car
Renault has confirmed it will be producing the long-awaited 5 E-Tech small electric car, with the model set to launch in Europe in September 2024.
The new model with retro-styling made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, and has been confirmed to have a maximum battery capacity of 52kWh and a 400km (WLTP) electric range.
Will it come to Australia? Renault’s distributor in Australia, Ateco, could not confirm the new Renault 5 E-Tech, however it did say that “we see great potential for Renault 5 in the Australian market” and that “we are working on the business case for that model”.
The original Renault 5 was a popular model, selling over 5.5 million units and was, unsurprisingly, France’s most popular car for many years.
MG could build cheaper MG2 electric car: report
The MG2 could be smaller than the current MG4
MG could build an affordable electric car, potentially called MG2, in the future, according to recent reports by Autocar.
Targeting a price tag of around £20,000 (AUD$38,000), the MG2 could arrive in Europe and the UK around the end of 2025, or early in 2026.
“There’s a huge opportunity for someone who can get a four-metre EV for around £17,000 … I think that person will clean up with it. And why not us?” MG’s product and planning boss David Allison told Autocar at the Geneva Motor Show.
Allison also remarked that it’s not uncommon in this day and age to see a car go from concept to production “in as little as two years”, so we could see an MG2 sooner rather than later.
This could mean an even cheaper electric car than the current MG4, which currently starts from $39,990 before on-road costs in Australia
2024 Subaru Impreza 2.0S reviewed
Adkins behind the wheel of the 2024 Subaru Impreza
Chasing Cars journalist Zak Adkins’ review of the 2024 Subaru Impreza 2.0S was published, exploring the model’s iconic all-wheel-drive grip and updated technologies.
Adkins found that the updated Impreza small car was good value for money, added an intuitive 11.6-inch screen and had decent around-town ride quality.
But the experience wasn’t perfect. The Impreza was let down by an unsuitable engine and CVT pairing, lack of power and suffering thirstier-than-claimed fuel economy.
Adkins recommended the Subaru Impreza for those wanting a more involving drive over the related Crosstrek, and commended the model as a safe and grippy alternative to an SUV in 2024.
