Car news today: Subaru Wilderness confirmed… sort-of, BMW i4 now faster than an M3 CS, and more – 30 May 2025
Lukas Foyle
Contributor
Every important car news story breaking today, one convenient read
Thanks for joining us this Friday, May 30th 2025. Notably in car news today: Subaru starts the process of bringing Wilderness trim models to Australia, BMW improves its i4, but not in Oz, Peugeot Expert dumps manual transmission, and more.
Subaru’s highly anticipated Wilderness trims are officially coming to Australia, but the Japanese carmaker won’t reveal which models will sport the package, or when it can be expected.
The Wilderness changes are extensive, adding all-terrain tyres, raised suspension — and therefore greater ground clearance — unique styling, and interior features like water-repellent upholstery plus unique digital cluster graphics.
General Manager of Subaru Australia Scott Lawrence addressed the prospect of Aussie Wilderness models: “We have confirmed Wilderness will be on Australian soil”. Later on, Lawrence stated he will “not confirm when and what model.”
The Wilderness package is currently exclusive to the North American market, and is available for the Crosstrek, Forester, and Outback. A mostly exterior-focused upgrade, it seems feasible any one of the three Wilderness packages could come to Oz — though the new Forester is most likely to sport it first.
BMW improves i4 efficiency alongside new flagship model overseas
BMW has released a new range-topping i4 in Europe. The BMW i4 M60 xDrive will replace the outgoing M50 model from July onwards, with more power and claims of 20.9 kWh/100 km (WLTP).
Meanwhile, both the rear-driven i4 eDrive35 and i4 eDrive40 promise to improve on efficiency by 4.5 percent, now delivering 17.5 kWh/100km and 17.8 kWh/100km, respectively (WLTP). The improvement is attributed to the use of silicon carbide semiconductor components.
The BMW i4 M60 now delivers 442kW/795Nm – 42kW more than the M50. This results in a 0 to 100 km/h time of 3.7 seconds (was 3.9). The M60 is powered by two electric motors and an 81kWh lithium-ion battery.
Officially, no comment from BMW Australia has been made regarding the introduction of the flagship M60 and revised rear-driven models to the Australian market.
Peugeot Expert drops manual and enhances fitout for 2025 update
Peugeot Australia has revealed a MY25 update to its Expert mid-size van. Peugeot claims the update enhances features that matter most to Australian businesses.
The final two manual variants of Peugeot Expert have been benched for the upcoming MY25 update. Both the Short City and Long Pro manual variants will no longer be offered, meaning the Expert range is now exclusively automatic.
The biggest MY25 changes for Peugeot’s Expert include a completely revised exterior, digital rear-view mirror, all-new dashboard, 10-inch digital instrument cluster, 10-inch infotainment system, and wireless Apple Carplay/Android Auto.
Pricing of the Peugeot Expert will remain unchanged despite numerous enhancements. The base Expert Pro short wheelbase will remain at $48,990 (list) and offer a 1350kg payload, while the Expert Pro long wheelbase will start at $51,490 (list) with a payload of 1325kg.
Skoda revives Favorit nameplate for retro-modern EV concept
Skoda has revealed exclusive renders of a new Favorit concept car. The concept uses the Czech brand’s new ‘Modern Solid’ design language, featuring a flat grille and streamlined exterior which is unmistakably EV.
The first generation Skoda Favorit was built in the Eastern Bloc under Communist regime. It was released to market in 1987 as a compact five-door hatch which produced a mind-bending 40kW — providing you put it in ‘H’, according to some commentators.
The Skoda Favorit concept is a big step-up from the original. It has been re-styled as a compact crossover SUV, with designer Ljudmil Slavov stating he wanted to “update the original idea for today, when various SUVs are popular”.
No vehicle specifics are available for the Favorit concept. If the model were to go into production, it would likely contend with the BYD Dolphin, Renault 5, and Hyundai Inster.
2025 Volkswagen Tiguan reviewed
Chasing Cars deputy editor Curt Dupriez’s assessment of the 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan was published, after testing all five Tiguan variants on the road, and a look at what Volkswagen has changed.
Dupreiz was impressed by the variety within the five-variant Tiguan line-up. Both the introductory 110 Life ($44,990 list price) and range topping 195 R-Line ($70,490 list) offer excellent drives and equipment befitting a German make.
Despite growing demand in the Australian market, no PHEV variant of Tiguan featured in the 2025 launch. Dupriez noted that Volkswagen is building a business case for the introduction of a Tiguan PHEV into Oz.
Dupriez focused his attention on the mid-field 150 R-Line, which produces a solid 150kW/320Nm at a list price of $55,990. He described the 150 R-Line as the ‘Goldilocks’ of the Tiguan lineup, with a large list of equipment at an enticing price.
Chasing Cars founder Tom Baker’s review of the 2025 Hyundai Inster was published, including deep analysis of how the Inster will fare against cheaper Chinese-derived rivals, and praise for the Inster’s efficient use of space despite its compact size.
Baker was wowed by the vast second-row legroom in the Inster, which was attributed to its two-seat, sliding rail configuration. He gave merit to the Inster’s build quality, particularly its ergonomic packaging of driver controls, and no-nonsense dual screens.
One shortcoming of the Hyundai Inster when compared to rivals is its output of 71kW/147Nm. Baker draws comparison to the Inster’s closest rival, the MG4, which boasts 125kW/250Nm.
While the $39,000 (before on-roads) Hyundai Inster cannot compete with Chinese-derived rivals like the BYD Dolphin, GWM Ora, and MG4 on price, it surpasses them in other areas including ride quality, handling, and refinement.
