1. Hyundai's Tucson BLK is the first Vietnamese-built car sold in Australia
Hyundai has detailed its 2027 Tucson and Kona BLK Editions, and the Tucson carries a genuine Australian first: it is the first Vietnamese-built car ever sold here. Hyundai's Vietnamese plant usually builds knock-down kits for Vietnam and South-East Asia, but this time it has built complete cars for our market, making Vietnam the 34th country to build a car sold in Australia. The Tucson BLK Edition is based on the Korean-built, front-wheel-drive Elite hybrid grade, is limited to 750 units, and is priced from $51,000 before on-road costs — $2,650 more than the Elite hybrid it is based on. The smaller Kona BLK Edition stays Korean-built, arrives in showrooms now, and costs $42,600 before on-road costs, the same $2,650 premium over its Elite hybrid donor. Bottom line: a new country building cars for Australia.
Source: Drive
2. Ford confirms a cheaper ute than the Ranger — and it could come here
Ford has confirmed it will launch a new ute more affordable than the Ranger for international markets, which puts Australia in the frame. Expected to debut in 2027, the new model is a separate vehicle from the Maverick sold in the US and the upcoming Fathom electric ute, and Ford CEO Jim Farley told investors its base material cost will be 20 per cent lower than today's Ranger. Where it will be built is still unclear — China or South America, or both — and that matters for us: a Chinese-built ute has a much better shot at Australian showrooms than a South American one, given Ford already sources Australian vehicles from China. Ford has also trademarked the Maverick and Fathom names in Australia, so the paperwork is at least pointing our way.
Source: Drive
3. Geely's methanol hybrid claims 1,880 km of range
Geely has unveiled one of the stranger powertrains of the year: a plug-in hybrid sedan that can run on petrol, electricity or methanol. The Galaxy Starshine 6 EF, revealed in China, uses a specially developed 1.5-litre engine that burns petrol, methanol or a mix of both, which Geely claims hits 48.15 per cent thermal efficiency — among the most efficient combustion engines in production. Paired with a 140kW electric motor and a choice of 17kWh or 28.3kWh batteries, it offers 130–230 km of electric-only driving on China's generous CLTC cycle, and a claimed combined range of up to 1,250 km on methanol and 1,880 km on petrol. It starts at about A$18,500 in China, and while the sedan is based on the Emgrand L EM-i confirmed for Australia in 2027, the methanol version is unlikely here — we have no public methanol refuelling network.
Source: WhichCar
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