In the opinion of the editors of Wheels no new car in 1979 came up to the standards required of the most coveted award in the Australian motor industry.

Wheels makes this announcement with a deep feeling of responsibility and real regret.

First published in the March 1980 issue of Wheels magazine, Australia’s best car mag since 1953.

It is only the second time in the 17-year history of the Car Of The Year that the award has not been made.

The decision was made only after every eligible candidate had been put through an exhaustive series of tests during the year.

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Of course not all, or even most, of 1979’s cars deserve the lemon of the year title. Some of them were good cars and many of them were very good, but being a good car in itself is not enough to win the award.

The guidelines laid down for the COTY require that the cars must represent a significant advance in design, in engineering excellence, in value for money, in safety, in utilisation of resources and in the performance of intended function.

None of the cars released during 1979 really achieved this criterion.

It was a year in which almost every major manufacturer produced new models or at least facelifts which incorporated significant engineering changes.

And yet none of the new cars fulfilled all the conditions to a sufficiently high standard to merit receiving the award.

A thorough scrutiny by the editors of Wheels of the 31 new models released in 1979 produced a short list of six cars – Alfasud Sprint, Ford Falcon, Honda Prelude, Mazda RX-7, Renault 20TS, and Subaru Leone.

This list excludes some genuinely new cars like the Toyota Corona and T-18 (below) and Datsun 280C and Sunny because their faults became so obvious in our testing  that they didn’t rate a mention on any serious rundown of candidates.

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Most of the other models are either not sufficiently new to warrant inclusion despite the fact that they are good cars – the Jaguar 4.2 series III, Alfasud ti 1.5, BMW 528i, and Saab 900 Turbo – or variations on a theme which has previously won the COTY – Gemini TF, Commodore station wagon and Passat diesel — or facelifted or re-engined versions well-known (and therefore easily dismissed within the criteria of the award) models – BMW 323i, Scorpion and Sigma 2.6, and Lancer Hatchback, Datsun 200B, Fiat X 1/9, and Super Mira Fiori, Escort RS 2000, Peugeot 504 diesel, Porsche 924 Turbo and Volvo 242GT.

Finally there are  the up-market long wheelbase versions of the new Falcon – Fairlane and LTD – which deserve attention but since they grew out of the Blackwood program cannot hope to overshadow the importance of the XD.

Before going through the short list and explaining why one of the top six didn’t make it, we should point out that we gave very serious consideration to the XD Falcon. It was the most important local car released during 1979 if only for the obvious reason that more people bought it than any other 1979 model.

Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint

The Alfasud Sprint is the long awaited coupe variation which was recently named Car of the Decade by Car magazine in England.

Its beautiful body by Giugiaro who also designed the sedan – hides virtually unchanged Sud mechanicals so it retains the same brilliant dynamics we respect so highly from the sedan.

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But it is considerably more expensive and doesn’t have the room of the sedan, which performs at least as well. Car Of The Decade? Perhaps, but a coupe version of the sedan isn’t enough justification for COTY despite its enormous driver appeal.

Honda Prelude

Much of the same comments apply to the little Honda sporty. Yes, it is a development of the Accord – which we named Car of the Year in 1977 – but doesn’t represent the technical advance we have come to expect from Japan’s most innovative car maker.

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Mazda RX-7

A fine sports car that suits Australian conditions better than its obvious rival, the Porsche 924 (which is twice the price), the RX-7 proves the rotary engine has a future in specialist cars. But there are enough deficiencies in steering, brakes and clutch, and the seats to give R+Europe hope for the future. The Japanese have yet to master the art of dynamics.

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Renault 20TS

A high price takes the 20 out of the reach of those people who enjoyed its predecessor, the 16, and beyond even its logical competition from Europe. Which is a pity for it is a fine car, if mildly disappointing in its noise levels. Certainly its appearance is less controversial than the 16 but does it really do things that much better than the car which began the modern trend to hatchback bodies?

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Subaru Leone

Great expectations thwarted. We always believed that if Subaru gave the car a new body it could become an excellent little car. Now that’s happened and the result still doesn’t work as well as it should for there are major flaws in the seats, performance, steering and its price is too high despite the recent price cuts.

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Why the XD Fails

As the last indigenous Australian car it can’t hope to cope with the world cars Ford’s XD Falcon represents the pinnacle of Australian automotive engineering. No arguments, despite what Fishermen’s Bend might half-heartedly believe. Therefore, however, the XD is being asked to carry the philosophical vanguard for over 30 years of Australian cars in the face of an almost total switch by Holden to the world car theme. And Holden invented Australia’s Own.

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Inevitably the question becomes: Can Australia’s best compare favourably with the standard achieved by its world car rivals? Sadly, and we would wish to be able to reply in the affirmative, the answer must be, No. And thereby hangs the essential reason for the XD’s failure to win our coveted COTY award.

Perhaps it is apologising unnecessarily for the dedicated men from Broadmeadows to say that given the constraints placed on Ford Australia by the need to retain much of the old car’s running gear, and by its relatively limited resources in both money and manpower, that a no-more-than-competent car evolved through the system.

But the fact is that in 1979 and for the first half of the new decade – the expected life span of any new car – competent is no longer enough. Inspired it is not. And nothing less than inspiration is what is required to meet the challenges of the ’80s.

There can be no question that the XD is the best Australian designed car ever but, unfortunately, that is not enough to ensure that it is either up to the standard established by its rival(s) or that it advances the state of the art of cars sufficiently to justify being the 1979 Wheels Car Of The Year.

Of course advanced engineering on its own is never reason enough to warrant winning COTY. It is not what a car is or does but how it does it that ultimately counts and it is here that, despite the Falcon’s acknowledged advances in the area of plastics and electronics, it is a disappointment.

Few buyers will care or know that local content requirements played an important role in deciding the final specification of the XD and must be blamed for some of its failings as a piece of modern transportation.

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The criteria for COTY is quite specific. The Car Of The Year must make a significant contribution in six wide-ranging areas. In measuring the Falcon in each category we confirmed our decision, based on many thousands of road testing kms in a variety of models, that as an overall package the XD simply isn’t good enough to win the COTY award.

1. Advancement in design: Cynics might ask what advancement? To which Ford can, quite accurately, reply in plastics, electronics, synthetics and the body design. But in reality, while these are important and certainly play a part in making the XD lighter, and therefore more efficient than the old XC Falcon, its basic mechanical layout is essentially the same as for the first Falcon in 1960.

It still has leaf springs on a live rear axle which can’t (and doesn’t) hope to match the standards expected of a modern car in ride and roadholding on anything but good roads. And the steering persists with a low-geared, recirculating ball system and a huge turning circle. Idealists will go further and ask why it has a front engine and rear drive and why such large capacity six- and eight-cylinder engines are retained, but they are ignoring the realities of building cars in Australia.

Nonetheless, is it asking too much to expect the XD not to hop sideways over bumps on Australian highways or not to turn in the average street without requiring almost five-and-a-half turns lock-to-lock (on the manual steering fitted to 70 per cent of all Falcons) or not to expect a more versatile body design that permits a doubling of the boot capacity or not to believe that 8.9 km/l (25mpg) should be readily achievable in the face of fuel that costs over 30 cents a litre? We think not.

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2. Engineering excellence: In terms of body design the XD is two full steps ahead of the XC and obviously Ford’s design and engineering staff deserve kudos here. But the boot is shallow and the spare wheel sits in the floor, entry and exit to the rear seat is difficult and despite increased roominess the overall comfort levels are disappointing.

Engineering excellence and clever detail is evident in the dashboard, the fuel sensor and the design of the bumper bars but the car fails to achieve the kind of subtle balance that comes from a totally integrated design.

3. Value for money: Probably, and certainly if you measure size against dollars, the XD is good value for money. But it is very easy to build yourself a $50,000 Falcon in the search for a decent set of wheels. And, as many old Falcon owners are discovering, trade-in values for six- and eight-cylinder models have fallen so drastically in recent months that the change-over price on a new XD can be prohibitive. Still, the car has proved reliable and durable and should give honest service for many years.

4. Safety: The XD is far safer than similar cars of 10 years ago. The fitting of radial ply tyres and disc brakes as standard equipment is enough to ensure that, and the XD has 20 per cent more glass area to provide a dramatic improvement in visibility over the XC and give the new car a head start in this underrated aspect of primary safety. The roadholding is good in most conditions but, and especially in eight-cylinder form, the rear axle ties itself in knots over bumps and floats around in a manner that does nothing to inspire confidence.

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Secondary safety – as far as we can tell – is on a par with most cars. Certainly the basic structure of the XD is very strong. But again there are no significant breakthroughs that would have the other car makers desperately striving to catch up to Ford.

5. Utilisation of resources: Superficially you might call this category fuel consumption and our many road-tests of the XD prove how difficult it is to get even 7.1 km/l (20 mpg) except on a country trip at modest speeds.

Ford openly admits to a crash program to improve the consumption of both six- and eight-cylinder engines and we’ll see the results of its labours in the second half of this year. And however much the engineers have worked at reducing the weight of the XD compared to the XC – and used some exotic materials in the process – the new Falcon comes out weighing virtually as much as the equivalent Holden Kingswood.

6. Performance of intended function: Three years ago we would have sung the XD’s praises and it would have carried off the COTY award but in 1979 it is demanding too many compromises of the driver and passengers to be considered an obvious or even possible recipient.

And when you come down to the cold hard reality it is here, when the Falcon is confronted by a world car rival, that you realise the distinct limitations of a purely Australian car.

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The ride/handling/roadholding compromise doesn’t have the same refinement or subtlety in comfort levels; the steering in both manual and power forms has real deficiencies (and with power steering the turning circle is even wider), the front seat’s relationship with the steering wheel is awkward at best and the level of comfort in the rear compartment prohibits adults contemplating it seriously for a long journey. No, the XD’s performance of intended function betrays its basically antiquated mechanicals and its most appealing body styling.

Ford, of course, knows the answer and while it still believes it made the right decision, back in 1973 when it decided Australia still needed an indigenous car, it acknowledges that the present Falcon will be the last all-Australian car and that its replacement will inevitably be conceived in Detroit or Cologne with Broadmeadows having the task of adapting that design to fit local conditions.

Australians are just days away from entering 2026, and drivers across the country are being warned to brace for another wave of significant road rule changes. After a year that saw lower speed limits, sharper penalties and the rollout of AI-powered enforcement, more reforms are locked in for the year ahead as governments respond to stubbornly high road tolls.

In a report by Yahoo News Australia on the changes, it’s clear most are aimed squarely at improving safety, but motorists who fail to keep up could be hit with hefty fines. Sydney-based lawyer Avinash Singh told the publication that many drivers are unaware of how extensive the reforms already are – and how much more is coming.

Victoria is preparing for a major overhaul of how fine defaulters are penalised. From July 1, 2026, new Fines Reform and Infringements Regulations will change how quickly penalties escalate and how payments are enforced. The state has also expanded its 40km/h passing rule, which now applies not only to emergency vehicles but also to roadside assistance workers, a change that took effect in 2025.

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In New South Wales, novice motorbike riders are set to face tougher requirements under changes to the Motorcycle Graduated Licensing Scheme. Expected to take effect mid-2026, the reforms would mandate protective gloves and high-visibility vests in addition to helmets. NSW is also reviewing school zone and high pedestrian area speed limits, with a proposal before Parliament to allow 30km/h limits in more locations.

Queensland is among the states continuing to lower speed limits in busy urban areas. Several locations have already seen limits drop from 50km/h to 40km/h under existing regulations, with authorities pointing to reduced crash rates. Areas such as the Hervey Bay Esplanade and parts of the Cairns CBD are already affected, and further reductions are expected across the state in 2026, particularly in high-traffic and pedestrian-heavy zones.

Tasmania is entering the final year of its Towards Zero Road Safety Strategy (2017–2026), with the state currently off track to meet its target of fewer than 200 serious injuries and deaths annually. In response, enforcement campaigns are being ramped up and a new Speed Management Strategy is set to be introduced. This could see lower posted speed limits rolled out in high-risk areas from early 2026, including potential moves to reduce school zones from 40km/h to 30km/h.

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The ACT has already moved ahead with AI-powered traffic cameras, which began enforcing seatbelt compliance in late 2025. The technology automatically detects drivers and passengers not wearing seatbelts correctly and is now fully operational across the territory.

South Australia is expanding 40km/h time-based school zones on major arterial roads, with all identified school-adjacent routes expected to be covered by the end of 2026.

Meanwhile, a national framework introducing stricter medical checks for older drivers is nearing full rollout. Most eastern states began implementing the system in late 2025, with Western Australia and the Northern Territory set to complete adoption by early 2026. Drivers aged 75 and over now face mandatory health assessments, with annual checks required from age 80.

The message for motorists is clear: 2026 will bring tougher rules, closer scrutiny and less tolerance for non-compliance on Australian roads.

Mick Doohan does not stop. He cannot stop.

A monster crash might have put a red line through his career as a MotoGP racer, but what it also did was to spark the start of his second life as a super-successful businessman.

Doohan now splits his time and his life between the monied world of Monaco and his home base on the Gold Coast in Queensland, where you might expect him to throttle back to enjoy the surf and sunshine. Not likely.

He is still flat-out on the next deal, as well as guiding the motorsport career of his son Jack and looking for junior’s next opportunity after Argentine Franco Colapinto stole his seat at Alpine before he got a fair crack at Formula One. He is an aviation entrepreneur, a financial wizard and more. The phone never stops.

Doohan has recently turned 60 but is still super-fit, focussed, and chasing success.

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“I’m happy, but I’m not a billionaire. I enjoy what I do, and that’s the main thing,” Doohan tells Wheels. “The game of business is what I enjoy. I was fortunate to race bikes, and I enjoyed that. I grew up racing bikes. But do you want to finish third and be happy, or do you want to win? I enjoy business and I get as much buzz out of doing a deal, and winning a deal, as I did when competing.”

Doohan is spending the southern summer months in Australia as usual with his wife Selina and will be joined at some point by Jack and their daughter Alexis, who works in IT.

“We’re enjoying spending time here. I spend anywhere up to six months a year still in Europe. It’s for business and with Jack,” he says.

Their home base is a sprawling compound at Coomera, at the northern end of the Gold Coast,
although there is also a beach house that Jack has often used for surfing.

Bright new houses are marching up from the M1 freeway towards the virgin bushland surrounding the Doohan home, which was once an isolated oasis along a narrow country road. But the driveway still looks more like the entrance to a luxury resort, and it opens out to the multi-storey main house with pool, smaller houses for guests or workers, a tennis court, a huge shed that includes his office and even a go-kart track.

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Apart from the Doohans and a string of their family guests over the years including Michael Schumacher, the home is well known for hosting A-list celebrities during Australian visits for movie making. Johnny Depp was one, also Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who Doohan flew in his personal helicopter.

The house was finished back in the mid 2000s and has been on the market for a time, with a price tag somewhere over $30 million that would set local real estate records, but that’s no longer a priority.

“It’s not on the market. If somebody wants to buy it, then it’s for sale. It’s mostly only Selina and I living here these days,” he says.

The garage houses a couple of AMG master-blasters, as Doohan has been a brand ambassador for the go-faster division at Mercedes-Benz for more than 20 years, although his upside-down exit from Targa Tasmania is not something to re-visit. There is a MotoGP inspired Honda road bike, too.

The house also includes Doohan’s trophy room, a vast shiny collection of championship winning
motorcycles, cups and plaques. There are also a few special helmets swapped with mates, including one from Schumacher, as well as the evil-looking contraption that was attached to Doohan’s leg – to be wound out every morning to try and lengthen his smashed bones – through his final recuperation.
It’s been a couple of months since Doohan, a Gemini – “I guess so, I don’t take too much notice” – passed his 60th milestone but he barely seems to care.

“I feel the same as 59 really. It doesn’t bother me. So long as I’m still mobile and healthy,” he casually says.

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That’s a big deal for Doohan, whose legs still look like they’ve been through a meat grinder after a series of evil crashes on the wicked two-stroke Hondas that delivered him his five world titles and the cash to transition to life after racing (above). Is he still in pain?

“No. At the moment, everything seems ok so hopefully that continues for a while,” he responds. “No doubt I will slow up at some point. Although my legs and the scars look pretty bad, eventually the doctors who put me back together did a good job. Continuing to do some activity helps with that. Stretching is the main thing as you get older. You become a little bit stiffer.

“I’m still living life as I always have. I’ve got a gym here. Normally I try do things here in Australia,
cycling if I’m in Europe. Just enough so I don’t rust.”

Physical status accounted for, he was keen to move on to other topics.

“Remaining nimble is the key,” he said, talking about business as much as exercise.Winding back, Mighty Mick was forced to retire in 1999 after another monster crash when the back wheel of his bike skidded on a white line and he was flicked off. Most people think it was leg injuries which stopped him, but there was also a shoulder injury – a bolt from a sign penetrated his back – that compromised his ability to ride. Does he still miss it?

“No, not at all,” Doohan begins. “Whilst you’re doing that, nothing else seems important. To be that focussed is important. I enjoyed what I did, but I only enjoyed winning. You could tell if I wasn’t happy. You can’t be good and not like what you’re doing – you’ll burn yourself out.

“Even though I did it for 10 seasons, and that is a long career in motorcycle racing, sport is a pretty narrow window of your overall life.”

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What came next was predictable for anyone who had seen Team Doohan in action.

“Like anyone in sport, when it’s been your profession, there is always a transition. But having good
people around me, I was always aware that I had to plan for an exit.

“I had some stuff going on here and also in Europe, because that’s where we were residing predominantly in the mid to late 2000s.”

So, what does winning look like in 2025?

“I’m just a businessman,” he says. “But it depends how you want to clarify a businessman. I’m very focussed on what we do, which is investment and aviation. But my occupation is more than just an investor.”

These days Doohan is a senior executive with Jetcraft, after buying into the international aviation powerhouse.

“I bought into the company years ago, but it’s been going for 62 years,” he explains. “It started in the US but is now based in the UK. There are sales, charter operations, managing aircraft here in Australia. We’ve got aircraft flying around the world. This year we’re on track to sell 190 corporate aircraft. We’re a global business. We’ve got about 130 staff. Thirty offices around the world.”

His passion for aviation is reflected in the scale models of helicopters and private jets dotted around his office. He can quote the specifications of all the front-line private jets, their range and running costs, as well as the prices. He talks about aircraft the way most people talk about cars.

“The aviation takes up a lot of time on what we do. And then there’s the investment group, which is run out of Brisbane. We have a company called City Finance, and I’m one of the investors in that.”

Doohan also owns FBO operations – it stands for Fixed Base Operator and covers fuel, parking and hangar space – at the Gold Coast and in Melbourne. He was once a certified jet pilot and owned a series of aircraft but has wound back a bit. He retains his helicopter licence and had been flying just a couple of days before the Wheels visit, although the giant hanger below his office is missing the Airbus helicopter which once filled the space.

It’s now dominated by a giant mural painted on the back wall showing Mick and Jack in action. Mick is on his Honda 500cc GP bike and Jack is at the wheel of the Alpine F1 car he briefly raced. There are also go-karts and road bikes, as well as the cute Fiat 500 that Alexis used while learning to drive. Can he tell us anything about what’s happening with Jack (below)?

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Doohan is reluctant to provide any detail, as rumours swirl in the F1 paddock that Jack will be the reserve driver for the Haas team in 2026 and could also be racing powerful single seaters in Super Formula, in Japan, to keep sharp.

“Jack is highly regarded within that industry. Unfortunately, there are only 20 seats in Formula One,” said Doohan. “He was a paid F1 driver with a three-year contract. Unfortunately, the leadership of the team changed and some other things changed.

“He’s fine. He knows he wasn’t ousted because of performance. He out-qualified Pierre Gasly in China in only his second race. He was already there. He just needed a bit more time, luck, and some mileage.”

Doohan said Jack’s long-term plan is still in motorsport, although when the subject of Supercars in Australia was raised, he quickly replied with “I wouldn’t think so”.

How does he rate his son?

“When you’re winning consistently… he put himself in that position. I’ll let the statistics write the story.”

One of Australia’s bona fide sporting legends, Doohan now seems in a fulfilling place leading dual lives in motorsport and business, in Australia and Europe.

His condominium in Monaco overlooks the start-finish straight and the harbour, and is a familiar home.

“Most of my adult life has been in and around Monaco,” he reflects. “I know everyone there, I know which restaurant to go to. If I’m in Europe that’s where I will be – I’m not a big fan of London.

“It [Monaco] is as central to everything today as it was when I was competing. You can go everywhere, and in the summer the motorsport is there, and in aviation, a lot of our clients are around. You’re much more connected with business.

“Here in Australia, you’re a lot more isolated. There are 17,000 corporate aircraft in the US but only 240 in Australia,” he said.

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Doohan is still the master of the stare-down, and he uses it to answer – or avoid – questions about his friends, his business associates, and even his personal bucket list. But he fires up again when the talk returns to Jetcraft.

“We create opportunities for people, both selling and buying,” he says.

It all boils down to the same thing that took him to the top of MotoGP racing.

“We’re fully transparent. We never over-promise and under-deliver. We just don’t mess people around.
“It’s all about ‘How do we do this?’ and then getting the result.”

Driving the MY25 Nissan GT-R T-Spec in Japan feels like closing the final chapter of an automotive legend. It is, quite simply, the best-balanced R35 GT-R we’ve experienced – though it’s worth stating upfront that any GT-R remains a jaw-dropping machine.

While the GT-R officially left the UK market in 2023 and Australia in 2021 (because of ADR 85), it continued on elsewhere, culminating in this final MY25 T-Spec. Finished in the iconic Millennium Jade with gold magnesium wheels, carbon-ceramic brakes and subtle 2025 visual tweaks, it’s a collector-grade send-off. More importantly, it represents the most rounded execution of Nissan’s super-sports icon.

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The GT-R story stretches back to the late 1960s as a high-performance offshoot of the Skyline, but its modern mythology was forged in 1989 with the R32. Built during Japan’s “gentleman’s agreement” era, its twin-turbo straight-six officially claimed around 206kW, though reality suggested much more. With all-wheel drive, space for four and supercar-slaying pace, it earned the name “Godzilla” and rattled Europe’s performance elite.

When the R35 arrived in 2007, Nissan tore up the rulebook. The Skyline link was severed, and the GT-R became a bespoke machine from the ground up. Its front-mounted twin-turbo V6 – initially producing around 353kW – fed an astonishingly complex all-wheel-drive system via a rear-mounted dual-clutch transaxle. Active differentials and a second driveshaft completed a drivetrain that looked absurd on paper but devastating on road and track.

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Over an 18-year lifespan, the R35 evolved through countless updates, Track Pack editions and hardcore Nismo variants pushing as much as 441kW. The MY25 T-Spec sits just below that summit, combining key Nismo hardware with a more forgiving setup. Output is rated at around 419kW, with kerb weight at 1760kg.

Inside, the GT-R is instantly familiar: the towering central rev counter, physical handbrake, mechanical gear selector and trio of drivetrain switches are reminders of its late-2000s origins. Yet that analogue feel is part of its charm. This is no softly polished modern performance car.

On the move, it’s anything but sanitised. From Nissan’s Yokohama HQ to the mountain roads near Nagoya and Osaka, the GT-R feels alive, demanding commitment. Turbo lag exists, but once boost arrives the acceleration is immense and deeply physical. The steering, slightly heavy at low speeds, comes alive at pace, communicating grip levels that feel almost limitless on warm Toyo rubber.

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Rain later revealed the T-Spec’s true brilliance. With a few extra throttle liberties, the rear-biased all-wheel drive allows controlled oversteer, delivering excitement without intimidation. Crucially, the suspension tuning is the revelation here. Gone is the brittle edge of earlier R35s; in its place is a fluid, controlled ride that remains composed even on rougher roads. It’s still ferociously capable, but now genuinely usable.

As Nissan looks toward an uncertain electrified future, the GT-R’s absence looms large. A successor remains undefined, yet driving this final R35 is a reminder of why the name matters – not just to enthusiasts, but to Nissan itself. The GT-R is legacy made metal. Let’s hope Nissan remembers that.

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The influx of new brands and new models to Australian shores in 2025 alone has been astounding. Seemingly every day, there’s a new model to memorise and research, so much so that you wonder how such a relatively small market can sustain so many offerings.

But while there are new models in the market, there have also been casualties with at least 10 pulled from sale in 2025. Here are the ones we’ll miss the most:

Mazda6

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Why it died: It came to the end of its 13-year life cycle amid low sedan sales globally, meaning that developing a true replacement was too costly.

Replacement: The 6e electric sedan, which is due in Australia in 2026.

Why we’ll miss it: It was one of the best mid-size sedans/wagons over its three-generation career.

Produced since 2002, the Mazda6 was one of the best mid-size sedans/wagons/liftbacks (the latter only in the first and second generation) on the market in its three generations. One of the first products under Mazda’s then-new “Zoom-Zoom” marketing that revitalised the brand, the Mazda6 was sportier and more fun to drive than many of its competitors, and was also a handsome and practical car. The third-generation model lived since 2012 and with competitors falling by the wayside, Mazda kept it going as long as it could before eventually pulling it from Australia in 2025.

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Eclipse Cross

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Why it died: Meeting new Australian Design Rules (ADRs) for autonomous emergency braking systems was likely too costly, plus both were long in the tooth.

Replacement: Nothing directly just yet, though a new Pajero Sport-like SUV has been spied multiple times and there’s a new – fully electric – Eclipse Cross for European markets based on the Renault Scenic E-Tech.

Why we’ll miss it: The Eclipse Cross PHEV was the cheapest of its kind and the Pajero Sport was a good value off-road SUV.

In today’s market, it seems crazy that a car maker would kill off any SUV, yet that’s what Mitsubishi was forced to do earlier in 2025 because its Pajero Sport, older ASX and Eclipse Cross, didn’t meet stricter Australian Design Rules (ADR 98/00) for autonomous emergency braking (AEB) systems and it was deemed financially unviable to re-engineer them, so they were culled. There is still stock of both models in Mitsubishi dealers as the cars were produced in 2024.

Porsche 718

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Why it died: New EU cybersecurity laws that made updating the 718’s existing platform too costly.

Replacement: A new generation model is reportedly due in the next few years… with electric power.

Why we’ll miss it: It’s a sublime sports car, no matter which model.

Production for the Porsche 718 Boxster roadster and Cayman coupe ended in October, officially thanks to new European Union cybersecurity laws. Sitting underneath the iconic 911 in the Porsche line-up, the Boxster and Cayman were still wonderful sports cars that, like the Cayenne SUV, helped save the company from extinction. A new generation model has been confirmed for 2027 (maybe), but in a loss for enthusiasts, it’ll include electric power for the first time.

Volvo S60/V60

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Why it died: Australia’s appetite for SUVs meant low sales.

Replacement: None, though some could argue the Polestar 2 is a good S60 replacement.

Why we’ll miss it: The S60 was an fantastic luxury mid-size sedan and the V60 was one of the few remaining wagons.

One of the few remaining mid-size cars on the market, the Volvo S60 sedan and V60 wagon were excellent products. The S60 was launched locally way back in 2001, while the V60 was added in 2011 when the second-generation S60 went on sale. Both took the fight to the big German three but their sales were never in the same league, unfortunately, and the axe fell on both in Australia earlier this year. They’re still produced for global markets, but given how popular SUVs are now, we aren’t sure how much longer they’ve got left in them. A big, big shame.

Toyota GR Supra

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Why it died: It came to the end of its life cycle and the end of a deal with BMW means that both it and the Z4 roadster will end production soon.

Replacement: Nothing confirmed yet, though a new all-Toyota replacement is likely in the next few years.

Why we’ll miss it: It was a fantastic sports car.

The Toyota Supra is a legendary sports car that first appeared in 1978. Originally just a longer version of the Celica, the Supra morphed into a high-performance sports car in its latest fifth-generation form that was launched in 2019 after a 17-year gap. But this time, the Supra wasn’t a Toyota-led project, instead using the same platform and engines as the BMW Z4, and being built in Austria. That didn’t stop it from being a great car: it was very quick, handled well and looked great.

Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace

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Why it died: A new generation Tiguan arrived.

Replacement: The Tayron, which is the same concept but based on the new Tiguan instead.

Why we’ll miss it: It was a good all-rounder for those who didn’t need a massive seven-seater SUV, and was properly cheap at the end of its life.

The Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, the extended-wheelbase five/seven-seat version of the Tiguan mid-size SUV, went on sale in Australia in 2018. Produced in Mexico, unlike the German-made Tiguan, the Allspace was good value for money throughout its life cycle. Its value equation and attractive sizing made it popular, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic (and the chip shortage that resulted from it) when it was the only Tiguan available in short notice in Australia. Alas, 2025 was its last year and the Tayron – which is the same concept but with a different name – is now in showrooms instead.

Toyota Granvia

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Why it died: Very slow sales.

Replacement: None, though Toyota would argue cars like the Prado fill its place in the line-up.

Why we’ll miss it: Honestly, we won’t. The Granvia was no Tarago replacement.

The Toyota Tarago people mover was a legendary product in Australia and over its almost-40 year career locally, the brand sold over 100,000 units. The company expected similar things for its replacement, the Granvia, but only around 1000 units of it were sold during its six-year run. Perhaps it was because the Granvia was really just a more upmarket HiAce Commuter van, or that the Kia Carnival steals the vast majority of the people mover sales in Australia, but the Granvia was a rare failure from Toyota’s local division.

Hyundai i30 hatchback

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Why it died: A number of factors, but mostly that Hyundai switched production from South Korea to the Czech Republic, pushing up the cost significantly.

Replacement: The i30 sedan is still available, as is the i30 N hatchback.

Why we’ll miss it: It’s yet another small hatchback death.

The i30 is the car that really propelled the Hyundai brand when it was launched way back in 2006. Aimed at Europe, it was a well-rounded small hatchback that won the hearts of thousands of Australians – over 20,000 were sold locally in 2022 alone, for example. Yet thanks to a number of factors, the i30 hatchback has been discontinued for Australia, with the sedan and i30 N hot hatch carrying the nameplate on, which is a massive disappointment.

MG ZS EV

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Why it died: It was replaced by a new model.

Replacement: The excellent MGS5 EV.

Why we’ll miss it: We won’t as the S5 is far superior.

The MG ZS EV is not a car you’re likely to be familiar with, as it wasn’t the biggest seller (at least in electric form) but it’s an important car for MG because it was the brand’s first electric vehicle sold in Australia and it was the cheapest EV available at the time. It went on sale locally in 2020 priced from $40,990 plus on-road costs and gave a reasonable 263km of WLTP range. It was updated with new styling, more features and more range, and was replaced by the – far superior – MGS5 EV in early 2025.

Ford Focus (globally)

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Why it died: Not sure about this one. Likely SUV sales, but the Focus still sold strongly in Europe until its death…

Replacement: Nothing, though a new small SUV is rumoured.

Why we’ll miss it: Yet another small hatchback death but also, yet another death of a fun, affordable car.

Though it left Australian shores back in 2022, 2025 marked the final year of production for the iconic Ford Focus, a death that enthusiasts are still reeling from. The Focus was a practical hatchback that drove like a sports car, with a wonderful ride and handling balance that put many far more expensive cars to shame. Various hot versions were produced, such as the ST and RS, but even the base model cars were a riot from behind the wheel. Alas, Ford decided to kill it globally with production ending a few weeks ago with no direct replacement in sight.

An exceedingly rare HSV GTSR W1 Maloo ute has shattered the previous sales record for a Holden production car, selling for $1.2 million this week.

The car went under the hammer at Lloyds Auctions last weekend but the final price of $1.2 million was only reached by private agreement two days after the auction.

The sale price eclipses the previous benchmark for a Holden road-going vehicle, the $1.057 million paid in 2021 for a Peter Brock owned and driven 1985 Holden Commodore VK SS Group A road car, and the $1.05 million achieved at Lloyds Auctions for another GTSR W1 Maloo ute, also in 2021.

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“This $1.2 million result not only obliterates expectations but proves Lloyds’ unrivalled expertise in delivering record-breaking sales for Australia’s rarest automotive treasures,” said Lee Hames, Lloyds Auctions’ Chief Operating Officer.

The never-registered GTSR W1 Maloo with just 26km on the odometer, is powered by a supercharged 474kW V8 engine, making it the most powerful Australian production car ever made.

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The record-breaking car is build #01 of just four examples ever made. It’s believed the four cars were built-to-order for HSV top brass and loyal customers and were never made available to the general public.

Build car #01 is the only example finished in ‘XU3 Yellah’, the iconic colour made famous by the original HSV VS GTSR.

While this week’s $1.2 million is a record price for a road-going Holden, it’s a long way off the all-time record for an Australian car, the $2.1 million paid in 2018 for the Holden Commodore race car driven by the King of the Mountain, Peter Brock, to back-to-back Bathurst 1000 wins in 1982 and ’83.

It also fell just short of the highest price ever paid for a road-going Ford, the $1.3 million shelled out in 2021 for a 1971 Falcon GTHO Phase III finished in Yellow Glo topped with a beige vinyl roof.

Driving home from the country recently with one of my daughters, we were talking about cars and driving. That’s not unusual: both my daughters are now of driving age, and it makes me happy that they’re conscious of the activity in which they’re engaged.

We were talking about things like processing the constant stream of information from surrounding traffic, a cloud of dust or smoke beyond a crest, a truck labouring up a distant hill. I write scenarios in my head, which may or may not happen, but it certainly keeps my brain in the game as I drive.  

Mostly unrelated to that, Stahlette No.1 suddenly asked me: what would I have imagined cars would look like in 2025, back when I was a kid? (She didn’t say “in the olden days”, as I’d have said … in the olden days).

I was stunned to realise I’d never really thought about it. It’s especially weird, given the hard-core automotive upbringing I had and the entire career that followed. My memory went straight back to the books, magazines and toys I had in the late-1960s and ’70s. 

Flying cars were really more of a hangover from the 1950s, but I did have a favourite book that included a particular two-seater flying car with large rotors framed in the bonnet and boot and the obligatory, jet-age glass bubble canopy. 

Perpetually propped in front of The Jetsons, which (like me!) first aired in September 1962, that car always struck me as somehow plausible.

But the cars of the future burned into my childhood brain are almost exclusively late-1960s to early-1970s concepts like the Ferrari Modulo (below), Lamborghini Marzal, Mercedes-Benz C111, Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale and Carabo, and the Lancia Stratos HF Zero. 

I had no recollection of the Holden Hurricane from 1969; ironic now, because it is the one “wedge era” concept car that I have driven (Wheels, November 2011). I got big dad-points when my daughter pulled up a pic of the Hurricane on her phone. 

None of these cars of the future considered a future that could accommodate more than two people, with luggage. Sure, these were supercars – “dream cars” – but I can’t recall any futuristic takes on three-box or even two-box passenger vehicles, which were the reality of motoring back then.

Oh, George, Jane, Judy and Elroy could magically squeeze into the Jetson family car, even if Astro was sometimes towed in a separate bubble-top trailer. I had to wait another three decades before family packaging and futuristic styling were more credibly addressed by a cartoon, with The Homer.

Certainly, in the early-1970s nobody was predicting the global dominance of the Sport Utility Vehicle. That seed was only planted around the middle of that decade and I think, in Australia at least, my family had a tiny, peripheral part in it.

Skip forward just a few years to the early-1980s and the hot car industry topic was “substitution”. Almost like EVs today, the industry was grappling with a seismic market shift wherein punters were spurning passenger sedans and station wagons in favour of off-road 4WD wagons. 

These crude 4WDs were classed as commercial vehicles and thus paid only a fraction of the 57.5 per cent import duty on passenger cars that helped protect the local manufacturers from competition.

A whole wave of buyers sacrificed creature comforts and dynamic ability for the family space and dubious practicality of a Land Rover, Toyota LandCruiser or Nissan Patrol. (The Range Rover was, I’m pretty sure, classed as a passenger car and was twice the price of a LandCruiser).

A small catalyst was my wheel and tyre-dealing stepdad, who recognised that these vehicles were hamstrung by the limited tyres available for their 16-inch steel wheels. Developing a tough 15 x 8” design – the original Sunraysia wheel – opened a much bigger choice of both road and off-road tyres.

By the early-1980s we were seeing a softer breed of 4WD wagon like the Mitsubishi Pajero (above) and Holden Jackaroo. We were dreaming Birdsville, while the reality was Bunnings.

The article originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of Wheels. Subscribe here and gain access to 12 issues for $109 plus online access to every Wheels issue since 1953.

The turn of the millennium Holden was riding the crest of a wave. 

It was number one in the sales race by a country mile, a good 25 per cent ahead of second-placed Toyota, and the latest Commodore was not only thumping its main local opposition but being shipped to the Middle East as a Chevrolet Lumina and Brazil as a Chevrolet Omega. 

It seemed like everything Holden touched was turning to gold and this corporate confidence translated into an incredible run of concept cars unveiled in the late-1990s and early-Noughties. There was, of course, the beautiful Coupe Concept that led to the reintroduction of the Monaro, followed by the Utester, Sandman and HSV HRT Maloo utes, and the wild Porsche-baiting HRT 427 Coupe. Not everything made production – we’re still sour the 427 didn’t make the cut – but the company was a hive of creative energy and it seemed nothing was off the table.  

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One of the more unusual concepts was the SSX, a hatchback VY Commodore SS that hid the all-wheel drive system from the forthcoming Adventra cross-over. Appearing at the 2002 Sydney Motor Show, it was powered by the 235kW/465Nm Gen III V8 and, according to then-Holden Chairman Peter Hanenberger, “It heralds a family of low-ride height, inspirational all-wheel drive niche vehicles.”

This isn’t the only quote from around this time that stretched the truth somewhat, but Holden Special Vehicles’ Marketing Director, John Elsworth, dropped a clue to the press when he suggested that he wouldn’t be surprised if HSV was to use, even debut, the drivetrain combination. Elsworth, of course, knew very well what was being cooked up at headquarters. 

History now tells us that Holden never created a true high-performance all-wheel drive, limiting itself to the Adventra wagon and Cross8 dual-cab ute. This left the door open for HSV to create the Coupe 4 – the Quattro from Clayton.  

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Let’s be upfront; the Coupe 4 was not a commercial success. At the time, HSV Managing Director John Crennan asserted that: “There’s no doubt in my mind that in five years’ time, the role of all-wheel drive in our range will be profound. It will be a very significant part of our business.”  

This quote aged about as well as milk in the desert, for after its dalliance with the Coupe 4 and its high-riding relatives, the Avalanche wagon and XUV ute, HSV wouldn’t create another vehicle with four driven wheels until the Colorado SportsCat in 2017, which ironically became its most popular ever model. 

However, contemporary commercial success isn’t a prerequisite for modern classic status. Quite the opposite, in fact, as a lack of popularity when new results in a scarcity that often only enhances a car’s collectability. HSV needed to build 200 Coupe 4s to break even on the project, with the plan to build 100 in 2004 and the remainder in 2005; the final tally was 134 cars (28 Series III and 106 VZ) with 20 of those sent across to New Zealand.  

HSV might argue that the Australian performance car market at the time lacked the sophistication to appreciate the Coupe 4’s talents that lay deeper than the spec sheet. Buyers cared about numbers and the bigger the outputs and smaller the acceleration figures the better. A big part of the reason for Holden’s success in this era was its cars had more grunt, plain and simple. 

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Less charitable commentators might attribute the Coupe 4’s lack of popularity to the fact that at $89,950 plus on-road costs (almost $160,000 in today’s money!) it was HSV’s second-most expensive model – behind only the 300kW GTS – its least powerful, at 270kW/475Nm, and at 0-100km/h in 6.1sec, quicker only than its heavier, high-riding Avalanche stablemate.

Wheels’ best effort was 6.5sec, only a fraction ahead of the 6.6sec HSV claimed for wet gravel, and it’s unclear where HSV’s test drivers found the extra four-tenths when the Coupe 4 launch technique was to spool up as many revs as possible against the brake then keep the accelerator pinned to the floor. 

But HSV may have had a point, too. When Wheels’ sister publication MOTOR conducted an Australian muscle car mega test in 2005, the Coupe 4 was easily the slowest of the V8s in a straight line, yet around Eastern Creek it was third quickest, despite not being designed for the racetrack in the slightest.  

Wheels’ initial drive wasted no time in delivering its verdict, author Nathan Ponchard proclaiming the Coupe 4 to be “bloody excellent” in the second paragraph, while over at MOTOR the car’s manners and bandwidth won over an initially skeptical Jesse Taylor: “I admit to being a bit cynical about the Coupe 4. For one, I didn’t understand the appeal of a car that’s slowest in the range, but second-most expensive. I also feared HSV was looking too far outside the square and away from what it does best. Over 1200 traction-packed kays later, its breadth of ability has peeled away my cynicism.” 

But perhaps the Coupe 4’s greatest achievement, certainly in terms of its contribution to the HSV brand, was how it was built. Installing the all-wheel drive system widened the front and rear tracks by 60mm apiece, pushing the wheels out beyond the standard guards and requiring the wheelarch flares that were somewhat controversial in period, many commentators feeling they were at odds with the car’s more premium aspirations. 

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Until Coupe 4, every single HSV model went down the production line in Elizabeth as a standard Commodore before being sent to Clayton for its transformation. As such, modifications were limited to parts that could be easily changed, such as wheels, lights, grilles, side skirts, spoilers and the like.

Adding the Coupe 4’s flares after the fact at Clayton was a no-go as drilling holes in the finished bodyshell would be to invite all manner of potential rust issues and associated warranty claims. The solution was for HSV to install its own production line featuring a multi-million-dollar robot purchased specifically for the program. 

Each Coupe 4 was initially built up as a left-hand drive Pontiac GTO shell due to HSV’s desire for it to have quad exhausts. Due to US crash regulations, Monaros that headed Stateside had their fuel tanks relocated behind the front seats. This led to a sizeable reduction in boot space from 520 to 370 litres but it did clear room for the right-hand side exhaust pipes.  

Once the body-in-white was completed, it left the main production line to undergo the ministrations of HSV’s fancy new robot. Here it was converted to right-hand drive thanks to the installation of the Aussie-spec cockpit module, which included the firewall, while the mounting points and crossmembers required for the all-wheel drive system were also attached. 

Following this, the bodyshell was placed on a rotisserie where a plasma cutter trimmed the guards and installed the mounting points for the flares before the guards were rolled for added strength. From here it was back on to the main production line where the usual corrosion protection and paint were applied. Et voila, a suitably widened but fully warrantable bodyshell. 

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The all-wheel drive system was essentially a straight lift from the Adventra, albeit with a flexible coupling rather than a CV joint to the rear diff thanks to the Coupe 4’s lower ride height, though it also improved refinement. Drive was fixed at a rear-biased 38:62 split with open centre and front differentials, with wheelspin managed by the traction control which could brake individual wheels to transfer torque as required. 

Installing all-wheel drive had plenty of flow-on effects. The most obvious was an increase in weight; the Coupe 4’s extra 120kg over a GTO not just down to the Quad-Trac system, but elements like the 4mm-thick steel engine subframe. This weight was distributed 55:45 (front:rear), but its location resulted in a lower centre of mass, which combined with the wider tracks provided greater cornering stability and largely explains both the Coupe 4’s impressive Eastern Creek performance and its ability to lap the Lang Lang Ride and Handling course quicker than the 300kW GTS – corner speed and traction.  

A substantial suspension rethink was required by HSV’s engineering team as the dynamic demands were completely at odds with the rest of the range. Intended to sit alongside the Senator and Grange on the sports-luxury side rather than the racier Clubsport, GTO and GTS, ride comfort was a priority and by all accounts the engineers nailed the brief. 

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The GTS donated its linear-ratio steering and the front ball joints and knuckles were reversed to lower the roll centre, which required new lower control arms, but those knuckles then didn’t allow enough clearance for HSV’s premium brake package. Whereas the GTS wore 362mm front discs with six-piston calipers, the Coupe 4 made do with 336mm discs and two-piston calipers supported by 315mm discs and single-piston calipers at the rear. Combined with the extra heft, they could quickly wilt under heavy use. 

They also meant that the Coupe 4-specific wheels had to be fitted at Elizabeth as the transport steelies wouldn’t fit over the brakes. At 19 inches in diameter but with staggered widths of 8.0 inches (front) and 9.0 inches (rear) – another first for HSV – they wore Pirelli rubber measuring 245/35 and 255/35 front and rear respectively. This change came very late in the piece, as when the initial press drives took place the car still wore 19 x 8.0 wheels and 245/35 tyres all ’round. 

And then there was the engine. HSV did itself no favours by launching the Coupe 4 alongside the upgraded VY II rear-drive range, which featured a new 285kW/510Nm tune for the 5.7-litre V8 across the board, even in the base $60,200 Clubsport. In that context, having less power in the $90K Coupe 4 was a tough sell for the marketing team, especially when the four-speed automatic was the only gearbox able to be mated to the all-wheel drive system. 

Crennan’s predecessor, Chris Payne, who was HSV general manager when the Coupe 4 was announced, was aggressively defensive at the suggestion of any shortfall: “Two weeks ago you could’ve driven a 260kW Clubsport and come away extremely impressed. I fail to see how offering 10 more kiloWatts, being quicker, and having a fistful of dynamic benefits can be
perceived as a disadvantage.” 

The culprit was once again those pesky front driveshafts, which didn’t allow enough clearance for the VY II’s 44mm headers, instead restricting the Coupe 4 to the 41mm headers of the original VY. In that context, extracting another 10kW was quite impressive, especially when you consider that the engine made 279kW under the DIN standard (which Ford used), but the fact remained you were making excuses before a wheel had even turned. 

In order to position the Coupe 4 as a more premium product, HSV used the sharper headlights from the Pontiac GTO as well as a unique grille with a chrome surround. Only three colours were available – Sting Red, Phantom Black and Quicksilver – with a black-on-black or the rarer ochre-on-black interior. 

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It was also loaded with kit, including Xenon High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, remote central locking, rear park assist, electric mirrors, embedded security system and immobilizer with data dot vehicle identification, eight-way electrically adjustable front seats (driver’s with three-position memory), concealed mobile phone storage compartment and a Blaupunkt stereo with in-dash six-disc CD changer. 

As a new car the Coupe 4 struggled. In the rainy counties of England or the snowy states of the US it might have worked, but in Australia you could buy a rear-drive GTO Coupe for less money and have a car that was quicker, more powerful, more involving and with a bigger boot. Kudos to HSV for trying to broaden its scope, but the end result was more of a curiosity. 

Of course, that’s exactly why the Coupe 4 now appears here. Two decades on its performance shortfall over its stablemates is irrelevant, as no one is buying a 20-year-old Australian muscle car for cutting edge performance. Its grand touring credentials, however, are more relevant than ever, making this the perfect car for a weekend cruise in comfort. Most importantly, it’s interesting and intriguing with a unique story to tell and the build numbers mean sightings are few and far between. All-wheel drive might not have taken off at HSV, but it gives the Coupe 4 an appropriately strong grip on modern classic status.

The Other One 

HSV’s other all-wheel drive experiment, the Avalanche (below), fared a little better, with 333 units supposedly built, though this incorporates both the wagon and the XUV dual-cab ute. At more than two tonnes, the Avalanche was even slower than the Coupe 4, though at $73,990 it was also much cheaper and could easily fit the family. While it wasn’t a huge hit, it was quicker and more powerful than the Porsche Cayenne S that landed at around the same time, so there’s that.

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Specs

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The article originally appeared in the 2025 Yearbook issue of Wheels. Subscribe here and gain access to 12 issues for $109 plus online access to every Wheels issue since 1953.

Suzuki Australia has announced a voluntary safety recall for a number of 2025 Fronx Hybrid vehicles after identifying a potential fault with the rear seatbelt system, following a recent assessment by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

The recall applies to a specific vehicle identification number (VIN) range, which Suzuki says has been identified during an ongoing investigation into the Fronx Hybrid’s safety performance. According to the company, the issue relates to the rear seatbelt retractor mechanism, which may not operate as intended in a collision.

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Suzuki has warned that, in affected vehicles, excessive seatbelt webbing could be released during an impact, increasing the risk of injury to rear-seat occupants. As a precaution, the company has instructed owners of impacted vehicles to immediately stop using the rear seats until further notice.

Customer safety remains the company’s priority, Suzuki Australia said, with investigations continuing alongside Suzuki Motor Corporation to fully understand the cause of the issue and determine a permanent fix.

“All affected customers will be contacted directly,” Suzuki Australia confirmed, adding that owners are encouraged to reach out to the Suzuki Customer Call Centre if they have any concerns or questions about their vehicle.

The recall follows scrutiny of the Fronx Hybrid’s safety systems during independent testing, prompting Suzuki to act while further technical analysis is undertaken. The company has not yet confirmed how many vehicles are affected nationwide, but says it is working to ensure all impacted owners are identified and informed as quickly as possible.

Suzuki Motor Corporation and Suzuki Australia have committed to implementing additional measures once the investigation is complete, with the aim of restoring full rear-seat usability without compromising safety. The company says further updates will be provided once a remedy is finalised.

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The Fronx Hybrid, which launched in Australia earlier this year, is positioned as a small, urban-focused SUV and is currently sold in a single specification locally. The recall represents a significant early setback for the model, particularly as safety ratings play a major role in purchasing decisions within the light SUV segment.

Details of the recall are listed under reference REC-006520 on the Australian Government’s Vehicle Recalls website. Owners can check whether their vehicle is affected by searching their VIN or contacting Suzuki Australia directly.

Suzuki has reiterated that transparency and customer safety remain central to its response, stressing that the recall is a precautionary step taken while investigations remain ongoing.

Australian motorists are being reminded to take extra care on the roads as double demerit points come back into force over the Christmas–New Year holiday period, coinciding with one of the busiest travel windows of the year.

In New South Wales, double demerits apply from 12:01am on December 24 through to January 4, 2026, as part of the state’s annual Operation Christmas and New Year road safety campaign. Police say enforcement will be highly visible, with traffic and highway patrol officers joined by general duties and specialist units across the state.

The focus will again be on the most common causes of serious crashes, including speeding, illegal mobile phone use, failure to wear seatbelts and riding without an approved motorcycle helmet. During the operation so far, five people have already lost their lives on NSW roads.

Police have warned that there will be no tolerance for risky behaviour, with authorities stressing that poor decisions behind the wheel can have fatal consequences, particularly during periods of heavy holiday traffic.

The Australian Capital Territory mirrors NSW dates, with double demerits also applying from December 24 to January 4. Unlike NSW, however, the ACT applies double demerit points to all traffic offences during the holiday period, not just selected infringements.

Western Australia’s double demerit period began earlier, starting on December 19 and continuing until January 4. WA’s scheme covers a wider range of offences, including speeding, mobile phone use, drink and drug driving, running red lights and seatbelt or child restraint breaches. More serious infringements, such as attempting to evade speed cameras or using detection-avoidance devices, attract significant penalties of up to 14 demerit points.

WA Police have issued stark warnings following a sharp rise in road deaths, with the state recording its highest fatality numbers in nearly two decades. Authorities say enforcement over the festive season is aimed squarely at preventing further loss of life during a period traditionally associated with increased travel.

Nationally, the road toll remains a concern, with more than 1,300 deaths recorded in the 12 months to late November – an increase of around three per cent compared with the previous year. Police agencies across the country say the holiday period is critical, as long-distance travel, fatigue and distractions combine to increase crash risk.

Queensland operates a different system and does not introduce double demerit periods over public holidays. Instead, drivers receive double demerit points if they commit the same offence more than once within a 12-month period. This applies year-round to offences such as speeding, mobile phone use and seatbelt breaches.

Several jurisdictions, including Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, do not operate double demerit schemes at all. However, police in those states and territories still conduct targeted holiday enforcement campaigns and issue fines and licence suspensions where required.

Authorities are urging drivers nationwide to slow down, avoid distractions and plan ahead, warning that penalties can escalate quickly during double demerit periods – and that the consequences of unsafe driving extend far beyond fines or points.