The Automotive Year in Review – 2025

February 2025

If January was a warm-up act, February was when the automotive world really lost the plot.

The month kicked off with January’s sales carnage revealing what happens when port strikes meet cost-of-living pressures. Tesla posted its worst result in 18 months, EVs collapsed to just 4.4% market share, and private buyers stayed away in droves. The message was clear: 2025 wasn’t going to be the victory lap anyone hoped for.

Speaking of Tesla, owners were so embarrassed by Elon Musk’s antics they started rebadging their cars as Toyotas and Mazdas. Nothing says “premium electric vehicle” quite like pretending you drive something else.

The Nissan-Honda merger drama became February’s best soap opera. After months of will-they-won’t-they, Nissan walked away when Honda tried to pull a sneaky subsidiary move. Then Honda came back with an ultimatum: talks could resume, but only if Nissan’s CEO stepped down. Days of Our Lives has nothing on Japanese boardroom theatre.

On the product front, BMW’s new M5 turned into a porker — 530kg heavier than its predecessor thanks to plug-in hybrid tech, making it slower and heavier than a Ford Ranger. BMW’s M Division CEO admitted revealing the weight before test drives was “bad for business.” You think?

BYD’s month went from bad to worse. First, the slavery scandal deepened with revelations of $7-per-hour contracts and confiscated passports in Brazil. Then complaints skyrocketed 3,000% in China after new owners felt they’d overpaid when fresh models dropped weeks after delivery. Despite declaring itself “Australia’s brand,” BYD’s reputation took a battering.

Australia’s road fleet hit 20.4 million vehicles for 20.1 million licensed drivers — apparently we’re all hoarding spares. The data showed Hyundai overtook Holden, Mazda passed Ford, and Toyota remained king. By 2050, we’ll have 41.2 million vehicles for 38 million people. Bring earplugs.

Mercedes-Benz continued its bizarre sales slump strategy by raising prices up to $6,000 across the entire range with zero explanation. Because nothing says “reverse our 14% sales decline” quite like making cars more expensive.

Trump’s tariff threats had Ford CEO Jim Farley calling them “devastating,” while Australia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers named EV road user charges his top tax priority. So much for those price drops Toyota promised.

And in the month’s most British moment, Volkswagen sued India for $2.3 billion using “The Amazon Office Chair Defence” — arguing that importing car parts separately is basically the same as flat-pack furniture. We’re not sure an Allen key and an illegible instruction cartoon works for a Passat, but points for creativity.

Welcome to February. Where mergers collapse, EVs struggle, and apparently we’re all Amazon now.

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March proved that chaos is the new normal, with sales slumping, dealers disappearing, and everyone arguing about what counts as an electric car.

The month kicked off with February’s sales disaster revealing the seventh decline in nine months. Private buyers stayed home (down 12%), EVs collapsed 44%, and Tesla’s freefall continued with just 1,592 sales — down 70% year-on-year. The RAV4 remained unbeatable, though the BYD Shark stormed to sixth place, proving Australians will buy a Chinese plug-in ute faster than you can say “trade war.”

The Federal Budget delivered nothing for motorists except the promise of an inevitable but not imminent EV road user tax. Treasurer Jim Chalmers named it a priority, then Minister Chris Bowen clarified it’s “required in the future, not immediately.” Translation: after the election.

Industry bodies went to war over what counts as an electric vehicle. The FCAI took the purist view (batteries only), while the EVC cheerfully included hybrids in their “EV” sales reports. Why the fight? Because one dataset makes the government’s emissions standards look like they’re working, and the other suggests they’re an expensive flop.

Dealer networks continued their death spiral. Volvo lost six showrooms in three months (17% of their network), while Jeep dealers watched in horror as Stellantis axed the Grand Cherokee, fuelling fears the iconic brand is being deliberately strangled. Jeep’s Australian sales have collapsed from 30,000 in 2014 to just 2,377 last year.

The Supreme Court sided with General Motors against former Holden dealers who’d invested millions believing the brand was “here for the long haul.” GM’s response? “We welcome the decision.” The dealer association called it a “dangerous precedent” and proof that franchising protections can’t come soon enough.

Product news brought glimpses of hope. Mazda confirmed the next CX-5 will offer both hybrid and electric versions, GWM hired Holden’s legendary ride-and-handling guru Rob Trubiani to tune their cars for Australia, and Volkswagen finally priced its ID.4 and ID.5 EVs after a two-year delay.

Tesla’s Australian CEO broke Musk’s PR gag order to talk publicly about local plans (including Cybertruck aspirations), presumably while his boss was distracted playing government in Washington. When asked about Musk’s antics, he wisely declined to comment.

Tasmania discovered that AI-enhanced speed cameras could catch 700 drivers weekly versus 624 annually under the old system — a 60-fold revenue increase that officials insisted was about “reducing road trauma,” not filling coffers.

And Nissan put the Pathfinder on death row after 38 years and just 54 sales in four months, while hinting at a possible China-sourced replacement. Because nothing says “premium family SUV” quite like badge-engineering your way out of trouble.

Welcome to March. Where sales fall, dealers close, and apparently plug-in hybrids are Schrödinger’s EVs — simultaneously electric and not electric depending on who’s counting.

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April brought election promises, motor show drama, and the uncomfortable realisation that Chinese brands aren’t just arriving — they’re taking over.

The month kicked off with March’s 1.6% sales rebound, marking the first growth month of 2025. The Ford Ranger reclaimed top spot after six months in the wilderness, but the bigger story was hybrid dominance — up 24% for the year with Toyota claiming a staggering 60% market share.

With a federal election looming, car prices became a political weapon. The Coalition promised to scrap NVES penalties that could raise prices by 10%, while the government defended the scheme as essential for emissions targets. Dutton’s $9,700 RAV4 price hike claim was based on a model no longer available, but accuracy has never been a prerequisite for political campaigning.

The Melbourne Motor Show returned after 15 years to sold-out crowds and immediate controversy. Ford, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan and Hyundai stayed home, leaving Chinese newcomers to dominate. CarExpert’s pre-show hit piece sparked accusations of “petty media wars,” but the event’s 40,000+ visitors suggested Australians were hungry for something — anything — automotive.

Chinese utes from JAC and MG launched to challenge the Ranger and HiLux hegemony, with the plug-in JAC Hunter boasting 385kW/1000Nm. Meanwhile, Kia became the first brand to throttle petrol car supply to meet emissions rules, redirecting customers toward hybrids to avoid fines.

Tesla’s woes continued as Musk’s DOGE distraction raised questions about whether he was a liability to America as well as Tesla. Australian CEO Thom Drew remained confident the Cybertruck could meet local regulations, though profitability remained “a significant challenge.”

In an unexpected twist, the 15-year-old Nissan Patrol outsold the LandCruiser for the fourth consecutive month as buyers waited for the updated 300 Series. The Patrol tallied 1,853 sales year-to-date versus 904 LandCruisers — a dramatic reversal from 2024.

Lexus was crowned Australia’s best brand for customer satisfaction with a record 98.2% score, beating Samsung, Singapore Airlines and Dan Murphy’s. Meanwhile, Toyota faced global hybrid supply shortages as component bottlenecks left customers waiting months for delivery.

Product announcements showcased the industry’s split personality. Toyota launched a $173,000 Tundra Platinum pickup, Peugeot promised to revive the GTi badge for its electric e-208, and Deepal priced its quirky E07 transformer-ute from $64,900.

Welcome to April. Where Chinese brands dominate motor shows, politicians promise cheaper cars, and the only thing growing faster than hybrid sales is the waitlist to actually get one.

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The Month the Luxury Car Tax Finally Met Its Maker (Sort Of)

May started with a bang as Prime Minister Albanese announced plans to axe the Luxury Car Tax, sending shockwaves through the industry. Naturally, carmakers responded with the automotive equivalent of “thanks, but…” — warning that LCT removal would hurt everyone. Because apparently even good news comes with a catch.

Tesla’s rough year continued, with the board hunting for a new CEO while Europeans kept shunning the brand. Tesla Australia tried damage control, promising to “temper the Musky smell” and distance itself from Elon’s increasingly problematic public persona. Meanwhile, BYD quietly overtook Tesla in Australian sales, proving that sometimes the best marketing strategy is just… not being Elon.

Nissan’s crisis deepened with 7,000 job cuts announced, though rumours swirled that Toyota might have considered playing white knight. The month also brought news of a potential NSX and GT-R powertrain merger, because apparently nothing says “cost-cutting” quite like complicated engineering partnerships.

Toyota finally revealed the next-generation RAV4, looking decidedly chunkier than before. The company’s secret weapon? A $150 million marketing budget advantage that makes everyone else’s promotional efforts look like pocket change.

In ute news, Australian startup Slate reportedly took 100,000 orders for its budget electric pickup, while the Kia Tasman was finally driven. GWM teased another Raptor for Australia, because apparently trademark lawyers need job security too.

The F1 world delivered drama as usual. Jack Doohan was brutally dropped from Alpine, while Renault appointed fugitive fraudster Flavio Briatore as their F1 boss. Nothing screams “rebuilding trust” quite like hiring someone with that résumé.

On the regulatory front, warnings emerged of a trucking disaster, Temu car parts were slammed as unsafe, and someone finally asked the important question: how important is country of origin anyway? Spoiler: increasingly complicated.

May closed with BYD declaring its intention to topple Toyota by 2030, Volkswagen gearing up to battle China, and Mercedes “backflipping” on its EV-only future. Because if there’s one constant in the automotive world, it’s that long-term strategy is really just a series of very confident short-term guesses.

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June delivered the reality check nobody wanted: 23 brands chasing 100,000 sales in a market that only supports two, Chinese dominance accelerating, and carmakers finally admitting their EV timelines were fantasy.

The month’s biggest revelation came from GWM’s John Kett: “Every brand is talking about wanting to be 100,000 units. If history’s any indicator… at maximum, only two brands can deliver.” The brutal mathematics exposed what everyone suspected — most newcomers are destined for spectacular failure in Australia’s 1.23 million vehicle market.

Global rankings shifted as the RAV4 reclaimed world’s best-selling car status from the Model Y by the slimmest of margins — 1,187,000 vs 1,185,000 sales. Tesla’s first-ever global sales decline underscored its challenges, though locally the brand was busy pivoting to customer experience as its EV monopoly evaporated.

Price increases dominated headlines. A decade-long analysis revealed popular models surged 16-31%, with the Prado jumping 31.6%. Toyota and Hyundai raised prices on US-sourced models, blaming “inflationary pressures” — the Kluger by $1,490, Santa Fe by $1,500 — with zero specification changes.

The EV backpedal accelerated. Porsche cancelled its majority-electric 2030 target, cutting 3,900 jobs while delaying electric 718 models to 2027. Apple’s CarPlay Ultra ambitions collapsed as Audi, Mercedes and Renault rejected the system, with Renault declaring “Don’t try to invade our own systems.”

Ford made waves with the $83,000 Ranger Super Duty, approaching $100K drive-away despite detuning its V6 diesel from 184kW to 154kW for heavy-duty compliance. The brand also explained detuning the PHEV’s EcoBoost and dismissed an Everest PHEV as unlikely, citing business case uncertainty.

China’s struggles became apparent as BYD slashed production by cutting night shifts and reducing output by a third at Chinese factories. Rising inventory and missed targets forced the world’s largest EV maker to focus overseas while domestic price wars intensified. Meanwhile, Chinese brands pivoted to Africa as US and European restrictions blocked growth.

Product launches showcased the hybrid transition. Suzuki confirmed three new models for 2026 including Fronx Hybrid and electric e Vitara, while leaked images revealed the next CX-5 with hybrid and electric options. Hyundai locked in the Chinese-sourced Elexio EV for mid-2026 with 700km range.

The Melbourne Motor Show confirmed 2026 return dates, expanding to all 20 convention centre bays after 2025’s 45,000-visitor success. Five brands continued hiding sales data from VFACTS, understating Australia’s actual market size.

Welcome to June. Where ambition collides with arithmetic, EVs collide with reality, and everyone’s racing to pivot before admitting they were wrong all along.

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The Month that ANCAP Became Everyone’s Favourite Punching Bag

July kicked off with Ford Australia writing a $200 million compensation cheque, which is the kind of corporate apology that really stings. Meanwhile, Ford’s CEO declared China “a mortal threat” to the company’s future — strong words from someone whose company just built its third factory in Guangzhou.

The EV narrative continued its schizophrenic journey. BYD stormed into Australia’s Top 5 sales positions, proving that cheap beats aspirational every time. BYD then opened its treasure chest of investment dollars for Australia, while simultaneously revealing profit margins so obscene they made competitors weep. The company later declared Australia “a crucial market” — which is either genuine or excellent PR spin depending on your cynicism levels.

But the month’s real villain was ANCAP, which changed its testing protocols yet again, prompting collective groans from an industry that’s frankly sick of moving goalposts. By month’s end, ANCAP was under sustained fire, with questions even emerging about whether its testing protocols are sexist. The organisation’s response? Calling for “more Chinese calibre cars” in a stunning about-face that surprised absolutely everyone.

Elsewhere, Toyota, Ford and Mazda were held to ransom by cyber attackers, because apparently the automotive industry’s IT security is roughly equivalent to leaving your front door unlocked with a “Please Rob Me” sign out front. Nissan announced it would build Mitsubishis, raising awkward questions about badge engineering and corporate survival strategies.

The NVES continued wrecking everyone’s plans. Mahindra revealed the policy’s devastating impacts, while Subaru hit back with its own criticisms. Ford responded by slugging buyers with $5,000 price hikes overnight, because someone has to pay for those emissions credits.

In product news, super hybrids landed in force across multiple brands, Isuzu announced a $150,000 EV ute that’ll sell dozens, and Ford confirmed no Bronco EV for Australia — crushing enthusiast dreams everywhere. GWM teased a supercar, which is either ambitious or delusional, and Chevrolet finally revealed the Corvette EV to mixed reactions.

Perhaps most tellingly, Porsche admitted its business model is fundamentally broken — a statement so brutally honest it almost counts as corporate self-harm. Welcome to July, where nothing made sense and everyone was angry about ANCAP.

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Ford’s Recall Hell, Hybrids hound EVs into the dirt, and the Road-User Tax That Won’t Die

August opened with Australia’s road toll climbing for the fourth consecutive year, proving the National Road Safety Strategy is basically a wishlist with no teeth. Tesla copped a $375 million fine, JLR’s CEO abandoned ship, and someone decided Lamborghini is “better without Audi” — because nothing says dysfunctional family quite like a luxury car conglomerate.

The month’s comedy gold came from Ford issuing its 95th recall in eight months, which is roughly one recall every 2.5 days. By month’s end, Ford’s recall horror had deepened to truly spectacular levels. The company simultaneously announced an 8-EV global onslaught and a 6-EV assault for Australia — because apparently the solution to quality problems is making more cars.

Hyundai’s Australian boss pledged to “break things”, which is either refreshingly disruptive or mildly concerning. Amazon announced it would start selling used cars online, Honda definitively ruled out making a ute (crushing tradie dreams), then rumours emerged the Honda ute might be back on — because commitment is so 2015.

The Treasurer fast-tracked plans for a road-user charge, complete with surge pricing that’ll make peak-hour Uber fares look reasonable. The FCAI leapt to defend gas-guzzlers, an autonomous van was caught dragging a scooter, and Kia started discounting the Tasman before most buyers even knew it existed.

Suzuki publicly declared it’s “sick of ANCAP changes”, Trump lashed out at Jaguar’s rebrand, and real-world EV range testing revealed the cars can’t actually drive as far as claimed — shocking absolutely nobody who’s ever owned one. ANCAP results became too complicated for anyone to understand, while EV tax breaks were revealed to cost taxpayers $23 billion.

In corporate drama, Mercedes announced it wants BMW engines — because pride is apparently negotiable when profits are involved. Toyota bizarrely axed the GR Supra, Jaguar announced prices would double under its new ultra-luxury strategy, and Mercedes sold its Nissan stake in what might be the smartest move of the year.

Hybrids started stealing EVs’ thunder, car theft reached pandemic levels, and US auto CEOs were revealed to earn almost $1 million per week — which definitely won’t cause resentment during the next round of worker negotiations.

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving finally hit Australia, European car sales caught fire, and August closed with eBay announcing a $15 billion auto revolution that nobody asked for but everyone will probably use anyway.

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September opened with the sobering reality of China’s automotive dominance, and closed with the irony of banned Huawei leading the autonomous driving charge.

The month began with proclamations that China had won the global car wars, controlling 70% of cobalt and lithium refining while producing EVs like the $15,000 Seagull that Western makers couldn’t match. Fears emerged about Tesla drivers ceding too much control to Full Self-Driving as 50,000 Australians prepared to activate it. Toyota announced 11 RAV4 variants because apparently choice paralysis needed amplifying, while four Chinese brands invaded Australia’s Top 10 sales chart.

Then came the month’s most bizarre story: 475 workers detained in a Hyundai factory raid that turned out to be a spectacular bumbling error by US authorities who raided the wrong place, detaining workers with valid visas and halting Georgia’s largest economic development project. Meanwhile, Musk’s $1.5 trillion payday was detailed, prompting reasonable questions about whether any human deserves that much.

Kia celebrated hitting a “magic million” sales milestone, Xiaomi poached designers from Lamborghini and Porsche because Silicon Valley money talks, and BYD blitzed another sales record. Legal drama erupted when BYD sued GWM’s Tank CEO who’d been MIA for two months, while questions swirled about whether Tesla’s Australian FSD testing was actually legal.

Safety concerns emerged when the MG 3 suffered a serious NCAP seat failure — the first since testing began in 1997 — yet still received four stars. Mercedes’ design boss lashed out at BMW and Audi in gloriously petty fashion, calling the Audi Concept C “designed in 1995.” Another Chinese brand announced it’s arriving “in a hurry” — Avatr joining the invasion.

Zeekr announced plans to become second-best premium brand behind Tesla by year’s end, while Chery confirmed its fourth brand Lepas for 2026 launch. Toyota admitted it might import Chinese-made Toyotas, conceding it needs China to beat China in the EV race.

A hybrid Mustang was confirmed to save the V8 from emissions regulations, Red Bull’s Christian Horner celebrated a $163 million payout after being sacked, and Hyundai prepped an N performance onslaught targeting 100,000 annual sales by 2030.

Mitsubishi’s CEO resigned with no successor ready, while Toyota admitted its new LandCruiser Hybrid wasn’t clean enough to escape emissions penalties. Toyota defended recycling old platforms for “new generation” models, while slashing annual profit forecasts by ¥600 billion citing Trump’s tariffs.

BYD brought its price war to Japan with ¥1 million discounts despite selling just 5,300 vehicles in 30 months, while BMW recalled 331,000 vehicles including Toyota Supras for starter motor fires.

September closed with banned Huawei emerging as the pre-eminent force in autonomous driving, surpassing one million installations and preventing 2.71 million collisions — the ultimate irony as it remains banned from Australia’s 5G network for security concerns.

Welcome to September. Where China won, America bumbled, and the future belongs to companies we’ve banned from our networks.

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Cars Disabled Mid-Drive and Other Dystopian Nightmares

The month kicked off with Road User Tax secrets being revealed, Australians borrowing $4.9 billion for new cars they probably can’t afford, MG targeting Top 3 sales positions by 2030, and Trump promising to “slaughter EVs” if re-elected. The RAV4 copped a $6,000 price hike for 2026, hybrid buyers found themselves caught in NVES “friendly fire”, and Toyota lashed out at what it called a “hybrid con job” from competitors using misleading mild-hybrid terminology.

Record EV sales hit Australia in September with 106,891 vehicles sold (11% market share), while the Everest finally dethroned the RAV4 for the month. Toyota executed a dramatic PHEV U-turn after five years of dismissing the technology, while BYD’s new model flood was revealed — four launches in six months including the Atto 1 at under $29,990.

Research revealed Japanese cars live longest with the Sequoia topping longevity rankings at 39.1% chance of reaching 400,000km, while European brands like Mercedes, VW, BMW and Audi languished below industry average. Carmakers agreed to pay £5.2 billion ($11B) to UK car loan victims, and the Dieselgate Five went to court in Britain’s largest-ever class action.

The month’s scariest moment came when EVs were revealed to age like smartphones — mechanically sound but software obsolete — while owners discovered their cars’ computer systems becoming laggy fossils. GWM announced a “military-grade” G-Class rival for 2026, and the EV Council called for GST exemptions and a 2035 ban on new petrol/diesel sales.

Mitsubishi declared 5-star safety ratings “not such a big deal” for private buyers as its new ASX prepared to launch with four stars, insisting research showed customers prioritise other features. Tesla launched Full Self-Driving for $149/month ($10,100 outright), though only Hardware 4-equipped vehicles qualify — excluding two-thirds of local Teslas.

European automakers formed carbon credit pools with Tesla, BYD and others to avoid €15 billion in EU fines, while Mazda declared it would accept fines rather than limit customer choice. Kia slashed Tasman prices by $7,000 just three months post-launch amid disappointing sales, with reports suggesting a design update already fast-tracked.

BYD widened its lead over Tesla to nearly 400,000 units globally, Queensland Police RAV4s came under fire for insufficient payload capacity when carrying detainees, and frustrated BYD and GWM owners bought eBay covers to silence overzealous driver monitoring systems.

A Dutch chip manufacturer seizure threatened to trigger another semiconductor shortage, Musk held Tesla investors hostage demanding share approval or he’d kill the Optimus robot project, and BYD confirmed the Atto 1 would become Australia’s cheapest EV at around $25,000.

Welcome to October. Where safety is negotiable, software determines your car’s lifespan, and apparently owning shares in your own company requires hostage negotiations.

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When the White House went EV-hunting and also had to Apologise to Hyundai

November kicked off with Toyota confirming a LandCruiser lifestyle ute, Polestar getting warned by Nasdaq about delisting, and research revealing Kia and Tesla make the best EV batteries. BYD’s “secret EV moneymaking plan” was uncovered (spoiler: it’s volume and vertical integration), while Toyota set a debut date for the new Hilux.

The month’s biggest scandal came when taxpayers were revealed to be funding BYD’s NVES loophole rort, Tesla offered FSD buyers free insurance, Ford contemplated leaving Europe entirely, and Apple scored a “massive own goal” with its automotive ambitions. Hybrid sales powered toward a record year, Carma’s ASX float landed with a lukewarm thud, Jaguar had its “sliding doors moment”, and Mitsubishi posted a massive profit slump.

Industry forecasts predicted India would overtake China by 2030, research confirmed big utes kill more pedestrians (shocker), Aussies were found to hate ADAS systems with a passion, and Honda’s profits were hammered. Chinese brands were accused of “design by superstition” in product planning, the new Hilux was revealed with an EV version confirmed, and the automotive world mourned as a Top Gear star passed away.

Toyota shocked everyone with aggressive Hilux pricing, Porsche led buyer’s remorse statistics, and regional EV owners felt shunned by charging infrastructure neglect. The GT-R’s future was crushed under corporate cost-cutting, Chery suffered a PR disaster, and GM issued an anti-China manufacturing edict.

Ford rushed a new Ranger to market ahead of schedule, Hyundai and Kia faced a child-labour lawsuit, and Tesla joined GM’s anti-China manufacturing stance. Germany’s addiction to China was examined in painful detail, Aston Martin stocks plummeted, and Subaru committed to going slow on EVs.

EV “rivers of gold” were promised as just months away, Ford opened an Amazon retail channel, and Hyundai previewed its Ranger rival. Then came the month’s most awkward moment: Ford admitted it can’t fill $180,000-a-year jobs despite unemployment concerns, the new Navara was revealed, and the White House had to apologise to Hyundai over the child-labour raids fiasco.

The Prime Minister dangled the LCT carrot without committing, the UK’s EV road tax hit next week, and Toyota defended the Hilux’s shortcomings. Tesla tanked a major reliability study, rumours emerged that Christian Horner might take over Aston Martin F1, and an EV ute was cancelled.

Software recalls hit record levels, the EVC admitted to making mistakes, a state outlawed hardware subscriptions, and JLR was told it must sell Jaguar or face consequences. November closed with an F1 driver arrested on fraud charges, the US government buying stakes in auto companies, and Hyundai confirming a full-blooded 911 rival.

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Jaguar’s Woke Car Crash and Other Ways to End a Year

December arrived with AI burning through car classifieds budgets, EV battery health becoming “the new odometer”, Honda overhauling its entire marketing strategy, BYD dumping mycar as a service partner, and exposure of a gender-based car insurance pricing scam that surprised absolutely nobody.

European brands started invading China in role reversal, PHEV demand collapsed faster than expected, Hyundai admitted 5-star safety ratings aren’t helping sales, analysts confirmed petrol is here “for a long long time yet,” and China was revealed to own 40% of the global car market — which is either impressive or terrifying depending on your perspective.

Jaguar’s rebirth descended into turmoil as its creative director was sacked, Waymo’s autonomous vehicles blundered into police crossfire, and sales dove as top brands struggled. Toyota was caught helping GAC overtake BYD in what might be the strangest partnership of the year, some EVs were discovered being sold “batteries not included,” and Trump neutered America’s fuel-economy targets with executive orders.

Jeep’s AI-generated ad “changed everything” according to marketing types who’d later walk that back, Kia admitted the Tasman is flopping in markets, and a Hyundai paint colour was found to trigger emergency brakes — because apparently computers don’t understand metallic finishes. Industry analysts predicted the AI bubble will explode within three years, economists said to “thank Trump for cheap EVs” through policy changes, and the automotive world examined “inside Jaguar’s woke car crash” with morbid fascination.

A comprehensive look at the top 10 industry challenges facing 2026 revealed problems nobody has solutions for, Toyota finally committed to plug-in hybrids at scale, reports emerged of China’s automotive fortunes crumbling under economic pressure, Lotus executed an EV U-turn, and Ford attempted a “Hail Mary” to save its European operations.

A Chinese brand was exposed as having a parts supply problem, research questioned whether hybrids pose threats to pedestrians, the used car market nosedived dramatically, an EV shakedown threatened to raise prices across the board, and flying car production was announced to start “next month” — which we’ll believe when we see it.

The Federal Government got “griddy” over vehicle-to-grid technology, ANCAP slapped Deepal with compliance warnings, used car dealers faced financial distress, badge engineering made an unwelcome comeback, and the Australian Grand Prix came under threat from political maneuvering.

Rumours swirled that Albo might axe the EV tax break, the “ICE age” was declared as returning, China sued automotive influencers for defamation and won, Europe’s China tariffs backfired spectacularly, and Iran’s fuel prices skyrocketed to 6 cents per litre.

The Ford Bronco was confirmed for Australia, JLR’s trainwreck continued unabated, questions emerged about “what happened to MG,” and China’s rejection of luxury brands accelerated. Porsche pulled the plug on electric Boxster and Cayman models, VW shut down its “factory of the future” after just three years, and Ohme declared readiness for Australian charging partnerships.

December closed with the controversial new Jaguar being tested “sort of”, Continental putting mycar up for sale after BYD’s departure, the industry dividing sharply over the EU’s EV U-turn, and Tesla’s Autopilot being declared “legally bunkum” by courts. And just like that, 2026 limped to a close.

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